Movie Review: Wicked Delivers a Magical Experience
By Blake Brooks
If you’re a fan of the Broadway version of Wicked, the movie adaptation is a must-see. Even if you haven’t seen the musical, it’s worth your time. Wicked tells the untold story that takes place before The Wizard of Oz, focusing on the main characters Elphaba and Glinda.
Some may have heard drama surrounding this movie regarding the lead actress, Cynthia Erivo, but this reviewer promises that the movie lives up to expectations regardless of what you may or may not have heard.
Glenda is played by Ariana Grande, and she plays the character justice, especially during the well-known song, Popular. Without spoiling too much, the movie does bob and weave with the actual Wicked story with some of its original scenes. However, they add to the story and not diminish it. To give the gist of the story, the wicked witch is dead. While everyone is celebrating, one particular character gives a somber look. Glenda goes along with the crowd, but when asked if she knows the wicked witch, she shocks everyone with an innocent yes. And so began the story of how Glenda got to know Elphaba.
This reviewer had seen the original musical with Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, the original actresses who played Glenda and Elphaba, respectively, and was surprised to see the movie especially pay homage. Another actor I was surprised to see was Jeff Goldblum. If you did not believe the movie was going to be good before, now you know. To disappoint a few, though, the movie is split into two movies, with the second one not arriving in theaters until November 21, 2025. You’ll only have to wait a year, but waiting a year after seeing the first one may leave you feeling a tad depressed (or, in this reviewer’s case, the wife slapping your arm after the movie ends, not wanting to wait a year), so if you would rather see the full act together, you may wish to wait until next year to see both movies together.
All in all, this movie, like I said in the beginning, is a movie that everyone should go see and give it four out of five stars. The only reason it is not a five out of five is not having the movies shown together. Some may be hesitant since it is a musical, and before I was introduced to musicals, I would have been the same, but this reviewer promises that no matter your stance, this movie is worth the watch.
As a bonus, keep an eye out for a fun Easter egg that hints at the origins of one of the four main characters from The Wizard of Oz. If you blink, you might miss it.
So, what are you waiting for? Go defy gravity—and don’t let anything, not even a hot air balloon, bring you down.
