Wicked: Part 1 (2024) is directed by Jon M. Chu and stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Peter Dinklage, and Andy Nyman. The film is an adaptation of the first half of the Broadway musical, Wicked (a prequel to The Wizard of Oz). It follows Elphaba (Erivo), a misunderstood young woman with green skin, who along with her sister, Nessarose (Bode), travels to attend the prestigious Shiz Academy. After arriving, she’s quickly ostracized by her fellow students. However, once proving herself to be the most gifted magic user in the school, she’s befriended by the bubbly and popular, Galinda (Grande). Although this is initially just a part of her plan to climb the school’s social hierarchy, Galinda soon grows to see Elphaba as a true friend. When Elphaba travels with Galinda to meet the powerful Wizard of Oz (Goldblum), she quickly learns that he only desires to use her magical abilities for a seemingly nefarious purpose.

The performances by Erivo and Grande are easy home runs. Unsurprisingly, their musical sequences are top-notch, but I was happy to see that their acting chops are up to the task as well. Erivo’s character is expressive and likeable, the only issue is that she doesn’t feel particularly unique. She’s closed off because of the way people have treated her but eventually finds strength through her accomplishments/skills. It works because it’s well-acted, but other than that, it’s a tad stale. Grande is perfectly cast as this kind of ditzy, spoiled blonde girl. She does well in her emotional scenes, but I was particularly impressed with her comedic presence. The jokes take an almost Legally Blonde (2001) approach, and I think it’s the perfect choice. The nature of the film/world is often extremely childlike and silly, but the self-aware jokes help to balance things out. 

The supporting cast is great as well and likewise prove themselves to be capable dramatic actors. The casting of Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz is far superior to that of James Franco in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). His trademark awkward demeanor fits the character perfectly, but he also succeeds in providing the proper level of menace this version requires. My only issue character-wise is that the film lacks cool non-human creatures/characters. Peter Dinklage voicing a Goat is the closest thing we get, but he doesn’t end up being a very big part of the film. Where are the characters like The Tin Man or even The Porcelain Girl? 

Besides the heavy use of CGI in some sequences, I very much appreciated that the film often implements practical sets that harken back to the tangible quality of the original. Though not as breathtaking and “real,” it almost reminds one of the first trip to Hogwarts in Harry Potter. The musical sequences also feature a good level of visual flair and are edited in such a way that stops them from overstaying their welcome. This is done by taking breaks for dialogue as well as cutting to different locations. It helps, as well, that there isn’t a bad song in the bunch. Yes, some are clearly better than others, but I never found myself wishing one would end early. That being said, for a musical of this popularity, I was expecting more. That’s probably because the original show is being split into two films. It just makes me wonder how great the experience would be music-wise if they were all in one film. 

The movie clocks in at 160 minutes and, you guessed it, is noticeably too long. That being said, I still find it moves along a bit quicker than most 2 ½ hour+ musicals. The second act drags but quickly picks up again in the third. At least it doesn’t feel like the songs are what’s padding out the runtime like they usually are. The story itself is what feels dragged out. Yes, it has a full beginning, middle, and end; but it’s also basic and therefore drawn out. It’s a perfect two-hour package that’s stretched out to lesser effect.

Overall, this is a worthy adaptation of the Broadway show as well as the original film. It’s clear this was made by a director who understands not just musicals, but the art of filmmaking as well. It feels like the perfect marriage of the two mediums and results in the kind of large-scale film musical we rarely see. That being said, it’s not the kind of film that’s going to convert new fans to the genre. It lacks a tad in terms of delivering a core story that feels new or fully satisfying. If anything, see it for the two unexpectedly fantastic lead performances – dramatically and musically. B+