I’m sure many of you (anyone who’s chronically online anyway) have seen clips of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo crying whilst holding space for ‘defining’ gravity. Meanwhile, two charming male co-stars, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum, are breaking into song, having the best time ever, and wondering what on earth is going on.
Wicked Part One was released November 22nd in the UK and has taken the world by storm. Making well over the franchise’s budget in Part One alone, Wicked first came to my attention in springtime, when I found out nine million tulips were planted for just a few scenes. As a film nerd, this blew my mind, and I knew from then on that whether I liked the story or not, the dedication, love, and passion poured into this project was enough in itself.
A Musical to Remember
Now let me be clear, I am not a theatre kid. However, musical films are something very close to my heart. Growing up with The Sound of Music, seeing The Greatest Showman three times in the cinema, and having soundtracks as one of my top genres every year, I understand how impactful a film’s musical score can be. Cinema has no limits, and when combined with powerful music and a great story, it can truly change lives. I believe Wicked is another great to be added to the list.
When first engaging with the musical genre, you have to accept everything it chucks at you. It will be camp. It will be elaborate. It will be joyful and just overall truly epic. We must also acknowledge that musicals are never just surface-level and hence, they should not be undermined for the power they hold. Wicked is a prime example of exploring what it means to be different and how your difference is actually your strength. It discusses power, who holds power in society and how it can be abused. These themes alone mean no matter who you are, you will feel Wicked’s impact. This universality can only explain why the story’s classic tale has had such a monumental impact on theatre fans for over twenty years and justifies the 2024 remake as a global success.
A Cast Gone Viral
The cast for this film was truly exceptional. I have been a huge fan of Jonathan Bailey for many years now. He was one of the reasons I found out the production was happening and I am so happy to see him finally getting the recognition he deserves as a triple-threat performer. Not many actors can film three different projects simultaneously, yet Jonathan gave 110% to each. You can see how much this means to Ariana and Cynthia. As fans of Wicked, both actresses brought so much passion and knowledge to their characters. Their personal emotions added incredible depth to their performances, not to mention their extraordinary voices. Then there was Jeff Goldblum, who was just classic Jeff.
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Now, this is unfortunately where my critical film student brain comes into play… the overall colour in the film was very flat. Considering the production’s scale and amazing costume design, there could have been more texture and saturation to really make everything pop. An addition that would have mirrored the nostalgic vibrancy of the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz. Furthermore, the aggressive backlighting meant viewers were blinded by the sun instead of focusing on the amazing scene unravelling before them. Although these are simple critiques, each could have made the Wicked’s performance much more effective.
So, if you’re in the mood to escape into a magical, epic, funny, heartfelt film, maybe check this one out. And if you fancy, join in with the round of applause following every actor’s name in the credits.