'Wicked' Enchants Critics

         On November 22, 2024, Universal Pictures released 'Wicked: Part I', which has earned rave reviews from critics, currently holding at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing, alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "Defying gravity with its magical pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked's sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz." The ensemble cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Jonathan Bailey. Read the full review round-up below.

        Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth says, "Wicked: Part 1 rarely has a dull moment and puts almost every minute of its 160 into something majestically arresting and character-forward while concluding on an emotionally rich, natural stopping point."

        David Crow of Den of Geek praises the film, stating, "Wicked manages to levitate above whatever cynical commercial considerations weigh it down, or for that matter what any critic might have to say about those limitations. This thing is built to last as a monument to theater kids for generations to come." Adding, "Yet it is the movie’s old-fashioned theatrical impulses that prove to be its real superpower. Or, to put a finer point on it, Erivo and Grande can really sing, and they do so often in live and spectacular fashion. A friend I saw the picture with was even surprised to learn that most of their singing was performed in-camera, even when Erivo is being flung on wires and a broom 40 feet above the soundstage floor."

Photo by Alex Kalligas on Unsplash

       Fionnuala Halligan of Screen International notes, "A Black actress playing a green witch could seem to overload Elphaba’s outsider status, but Erivo masters every subtle grace note to give a performance that is both accomplished and emotional. Garland also captured that same sincerity of wounded, innocent yearning in an entirely different way (not a comparison that should be made lightly, admittedly). Composer and lyricist Schwarz fills the screen and the room with orchestrations that really do bring back the memory of the full-blown Hollywood musical. Adaptations that have taken this pre-Christmas exhibition slot of late – from Wonka to West Side Story, Mary Poppins, The Greatest Showman and beyond – have tended to shuffle around the full embrace of the screen musical’s baked-in staginess. Joker: Folie A Deux even denied itself as a musical. Holzman, who wrote the musical book and adapts it here, embraces it all, including the peculiar Ozian language, enhancing the otherworldliness of where the film is taking us. Combined, it’s a propulsive force to be reckoned with. Or should that be a melting force? What happens next? Wicked dares to leave the audience at the half-way mark, with Part II already shot and set for release this time next year (November 21, 2025).  That’s beautiful wickedness indeed."