A Wicked Review

As someone who typically avoids musicals, I found Wicked to be a delightfully good movie. I didn’t love it, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy most of it. The movie surprised me with its several gripping scenes, leaving me, a typical musical evader, glued to the plot and forgetting any differences I previously had with the genre. However, I wouldn’t pay to watch this movie—and luckily, I didn’t have to. 

Among NYU Program Board’s many offerings are special advanced screenings of upcoming films. I was fortunate to RSVP for a spot to Wicked before the list filled up. I had my friend, who also isn’t the biggest fan of musicals, sign up as well. The advanced screening took place on November 12th, exactly 10 days before the official release of Wicked. We truly were getting an early screening. 

Due to how advanced the screening was, recording was strictly prohibited. Security ensured this throughout the movie—my eyes occasionally drifted to the sidelines, where hawk-eyed security guards surveyed the audience for signs of recording. They seemed to hold small devices that alerted them to any such activity.

For those who haven’t heard of it yet, Wicked (2024) is a film adaptation of the Broadway musical, which itself is  based on the classic book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Directed by Jon M. Chu—who is best known for Crazy Rich Asians—this new retelling is surprisingly identical to its on-stage form. If you’re a longtime Wicked fan, you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy this movie. Despite the musical’s large following and success, much of the film’s hype came from actress and singer Ariana Grande taking on the lead role in the movie. 

The Review

By no means am I a movie critic, nor have I watched enough films to evaluate a film properly, so take these comments with a grain of salt. 

The movie was beautiful–perhaps even too beautiful. The cinematography was undeniably captivating, especially the final shot. The special effects brought to life a world so magical that I wanted to step into it. However, as the world-building continued to be incredibly grandeur, it all felt less and less magnificent and each impressive shot became the norm, losing its impressive-ness. Sometimes, less is more.

That said, Chu did show restraint in some key moments. Elphaba’s dance scene during the party plays mute. At first, I didn’t know how I felt about the absence of music, but as the scene continued, I loved the decision to exclude a song. The silence amplified every one of Elphaba’s movements, and by the time Glinda joined her, I’d forgotten that there was no blaring song because the scene was so all-consuming. 

Many of the characters included their own silly comments throughout the film, but Grande’s character hit the mark by far. Her hilarious commentary, hair-flipping, and self-absorption brought color and life into bland scenes. The humor, especially hers, is the highlight of the movie for me. So, if you’re also not a huge musical person, the comedy here is worth watching. 

However, the question remains: Is the 2-hour and 40-minute runtime worth sitting through? I am sad to say that the film felt every bit as long as it was, as I didn’t get lost in the plot enough for time to pass quickly. In other, shorter words, no, it’s not all that worth it. The acting was excellent, but the constant breakout into song elicited a couple of sighs from my friend and me since it made the pacing feel slow. The beginning of the movie did a fantastic job of capturing their viewers’ attention. The middle of the movie started to drag—as each character broke out into another song, my attention slowly drifted. 

I’ll admit, my friend and I scrolled on our phones more than a couple of times—one of them being an Urban Outfitters shopping session through their “5 for $50” sale. My friend was ready to leave about 30 minutes into the movie, but I convinced her to stay longer. Even though the middle of the movie lost my attention, the last 30 minutes had me at the edge of my seat. At this point, my friend was over the movie and wanted to leave. Once we got to the end, staying for 5 more minutes became 10 more minutes, and before we knew it, the movie ended, slapping on a huge “Wicked Part 1” title screen. 

I’ve seen one too many posts raving about how good this film is, and I believe I would’ve enjoyed it more if I were a musical fan. While it was an entertaining watch, it’s not something I’d rewatch or feel compelled to see a part 2 of. That said, this film is a must-see for fans of musicals, Ariana Grande, or Wicked. If you’re like me and don’t particularly gravitate towards musicals, feel free to sit this one out. The plot follows your traditional Wicked plot, so you’re not missing out on much. But given how much cultural significance the film has accrued, if you’re any bit curious about the film, I would recommend trying it out as it truly was a fun watch.