Wicked – Review

All the good things you heard about Wicked are true, the movie is phenomenal.

I don’t usually start my reviews off with a such high praise, but this film deserves it. I had zero expectations and for a while didn’t really care much for a Wicked movie, but I’m glad I was proven wrong. It is hands down one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve had all year.

That said, the movie isn’t perfect but I’ll get to that soon. I want to give the cast and crew their flowers because they absolutely deserve it. You can see how passionate they are about the source material, because they went above and beyond to give us a great musical.

The music, the performances, the direction, the production are all top-notch. Wicked has one of the most beautiful and thought provoking soundtracks. It is excellently adapted for film and elevated by beautiful scenery. The Defying Gravity scene is now one of my all-time favourite musical scenes. Cynthia Erivo can sing for me any time.

Talking about Cynthia, each actor’s performance is brilliant. The casting director hit the nail on the head. Ariana Grande and Cynthia blew my mind. And Ariana is just so funny. Together their vocal performances are unlike anything I’ve heard before. The whole cast was fantastic, they had amazing chemistry.

I love the cinematography of the film, although it does leave room for improvement. I think director, Jon M. Chu did amazing in translating the musical to film. Some shots are straight from Broadway, while others beautifully showcases Oz. I just feel like some shots might not resonate with everyone.

Speaking of Oz, it’s amazing how they brought it to life again. The practical sets just immerse you into this wonderful fantasy world. And CGI looks amazing. I really felt transported into this scenic fantasy world. The animals also look amazing, which brings me to the fantastic performance by Peter Dinklage.

All-in-all I love the film. The runtime is a little long, which might not be everyone’s cup of team. I was disappointed to see some people leave the cinema early, but I can understand. The movie does end on a cliff-hanger, but you probably expected it.

They might not show it on the posters but this is a Part 1 of 2, so it leaves you wanting for more. I do feel the ending was done well in leaving you wanting for more. Here’s to hoping that this year-long intermission goes by fast.