In “Wicked“, the yellow brick road gets a dazzling makeover, and the Emerald City shines brighter than ever. This much-anticipated adaptation of the hit Broadway musical sweeps viewers up like a Kansas twister, delivering a sugar-rush spectacle brimming with bubblegum brights and fairy-tale flair. There’s courage, brains and heart here too and, while not every element is as magical as a ruby slipper, “Wicked” delivers enough candy-floss charm and emotional heft to cast a spell on its audience. Like the 1939 classic, “Wicked” dares to look behind the curtain of Oz, revealing a world that’s both familiar and fantastically new, sparkling and subtly sinister — though the end result is not without a few creaky gears in the machine.
Based on a prequelish reimagining of the Oz universe through the lens of its misunderstood witches, the film, directed by Jon M. Chu, follows our pair of future sorceresses through their college days as they’re thrown together at a Mean Girls-meets-Hogwarts-style school. The heart and soul of the film lies in its two fantastic leads, who anchor the tale with depth, charisma, chemistry and powerhouse vocals. Elphaba (the “Wicked Witch of the West”) is played with searing emotional intensity by a magnetic Cynthia Erivo, who brings the character’s fiery intelligence and moving vulnerability to life. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande as Glinda (the “Good Witch”) is a frothy Belle Époque Bratz doll, whose peppy pepto-pink wardrobe is a match for her effervescent personality.
The ensemble cast, too, rises gamely to the occasion. Jonathan Bailey’s turn as love interest Fiyero gives us a dash of charm and wit, with his energetic dance-along sequence proving to be a fizzy whirlwind of fun. Supporting players round out the vibrant tapestry of Oz, from Jeff Goldblum’s menacingly sardonic Wizard, whose duplicity lands somewhere between a carnival barker and a corporate CEO, to Michelle Yeoh who brings a shimmering and simmering malevolence to her role as the commanding and enigmatic headmistress.
Visually, “Wicked” is a feast for the senses. The production design is an opulent love letter to Oz, full of candy-colored dreamscapes that straddle the line between whimsy and grandeur. The costumes glow like the Emerald City under a noonday sun — glitzy, gaudy, and gloriously over-the-top. The gravity-defying sets — Nouveau meets Moderne — dazzle in a palette of bubblegum pinks, shimmering greens, and glowing yellows that feel ripped straight from a Technicolor fever dream.
Thematically, Wicked draws clear parallels with the rise of persecution and intolerance, evoking the dangerous groupthink and propaganda that fueled Nazi Germany. The depiction of Elphaba’s ostracization and vilification by society serves as a chilling reminder of how fear and prejudice can be weaponized against those who dare to be different. One of the film’s central themes—being outcast for one’s uniqueness — is poignant, timely, and hammered relentlessly home. It’s a message delivered with all the subtlety of a house falling from the sky — big, bold, and impossible to miss.
Meanwhile, the film skips along like Dorothy in ruby slippers, glimmering with purpose but occasionally tripping itself up, with the pacing occasionally faltering under the weight of the film’s runtime. Clocking in at over two-and-a-half hours, “Wicked” occasionally feels like it’s on a yellow-brick road to nowhere fast. Yet, thanks to deft direction and the sheer magnetism of its leads, the narrative succeeds in getting us along to our Emerald City destination and dramatic denouement.
Where Wicked does lose a little luster is in its musical numbers. While the songs are serviceable, few linger in the mind once the credits roll. Exceptions include two show-stopping numbers that make the most of the cast’s vocal prowess and the film’s penchant for spectacle. The high-energy choreography, particularly in those moments, becomes a crucial lifeline, elevating the songs into visual masterpieces that will have viewers clicking their heels in delight.
In the end, “Wicked” is a candy-coated cinematic delight — a kaleidoscopic blend of heart, humor, and spectacle. Its flaws, though noticeable, are far outweighed by its strengths, particularly the enchanting performances of its leads and the sheer audacity of its visual design. While it may not be a perfect film, it’s undeniably a dazzling journey down the yellow brick road — and one well worth taking.
