This is the first of 10 reviews as I attempt to watch all 2024 movies nominated for the “Best Picture” Academy Award.
Of all the “Best Picture” nominees, the only movie I saw in theaters prior to the announcement was “Wicked.” I’m a huge fan of the musical was curious to see if Jon Chu’s big-screen adaptation would live up to the highly-acclaimed Broadway phenomenon.
Theatrical adaptations are hit-or-miss. Getting the singing and acting down isn’t too difficult — there’s hundreds of talented performers, from newcomers to international pop stars — clamoring to be in musical adaptations. It’s the set design and special effects that make adaptations of musicals work on the big screen. For every “Chicago” there’s a “Rock of Ages,” or even worse, “Cats.” And with the elaborate, imaginary world of Oz serving as the backdrop for the story, I feared “Wicked” would tilt towards the latter. Would Chu create a set that’s too over-the-top, making the movie a farce?
It was better.
What I feared would be “Wicked’s” biggest drawback is it’s greatest strength. Shiz University, where the majority of the film is set, makes Hogwarts look like a community college. Parents drop off their future scholars by boat at the waterfront quad. The dorm rooms are castle-like, complete with royal balconies. Most impressive is the spacious Shiz Library — or “book place” as Galinda describes it — decorated with giant wooden arches and rotating bookcases. Emerald City was another meteoric set design accomplishment. Although largely CGI-constructed, the neoclassical architecture and colorful scenery looks real, and feels magical. Production designer Nathan Crowley and his crew successfully pulled off their goal of creating something “fantastical,” and is a lock for an Academy Award for Production Design.
Chu did not take his extraordinary set for granted. Whether it’s the halls of Shiz University or the Wizard’s castle, the set is masterfully intertwined into the scenes, serving as vital a role as the actors. Most memorable is Jonathan Bailey’s (as Fiyero) performance of “Dancing Through Life,” that utilizes virtually every section of the elaborate Shiz Library, including performers opening and closing books to the beat while on the gravity-defying (pun intended) rotating bookcases.
“Wicked” was cast perfectly. Cynthia Erivo will make it difficult for Academy voters to deny her an opportunity to become the youngest performer to ever receive an EGOT, as her portrayal of the protaganist Elphaba was the best performance of her already-storied career. From the character’s deep vulnerability and desperate attempts to garner love and acceptance from her father to her self-assuredness entering a room for the first time and hearing people gasp at her greeness, Erivo demonstrated that she doesn’t just have great vocal range, but also has an incredible acting range. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her character.
The biggest surprise for me was Ariana Grande’s Glinda. The danger of having a pop icon in a highly anticipated film adaptation is that the star it too popular (pun intended) for the film. Whether intentional or not, the superstar can shift the attention off the cast and story and onto herself. It’s what happened in Madonna’s “Evita.” However, Grande demonstrates that she understands her role in the film as Glinda, the glamourous, ditzy and perky enemy-turned-best-friend of Elphaba. On paper, it’s easy to find Glinda’s character shallow and emotionless, but Grande makes you fall in love with Glinda, even when she’s trying to sabotage Elphaba. She’s not inherently superficial. She just doesn’t know any better. The moment when Glinda recognizes the pain she caused Elphaba is one of the most powerful emotional moments that happened on screen in 2024. And Chu does an excellent job of letting that scene breath — a long moment of silence in an otherwise boisterous film.
I’m not sure if “Wicked” will win the Academy Award for Best Picture, but it is certainly a strong contender. This movie serves as a blueprint for future musical adaptations.
Joe’s Judgement: 10/10
Joe Dennis 