“Wicked” is a blockbuster-bound love story for the ages in the grand style of Old Hollywood. This queer-coded romance tells the classic story of two enemies to lovers whose chemistry and complicated love for each other is so well known in the intimate world of female friendship. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) was born with green skin in the land of Oz and must fight to find her place in society. Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera) is also looking to find herself and establish popularity as she attends college and study magic. The two are forced to be roommates and initially despise one another. There’s even a catchy song about how much they loathe one another. Eventually this loathing grows into a grudging respect, and out of that comes a deep love. Plenty of other things happen throughout the course of this two-hour and 40-minute part one of the film, but what many fans are here to see is the budding relationship between the leads.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, “Wicked” immerses the viewers in the land of Oz. The magnificent set pieces used, and practical effects, combined with minimal computer graphics and stunning costumes and makeup, bring the world to life. If green screens were used, it was done sparingly and to great effect. This film didn’t result in any of the green screen fatigue that is so common from current films.

You don’t have to have read the book or seen the play on Broadway to appreciate the film version of “Wicked,” though if you have, it may add a certain depth to the experience. There were a few moments that felt as if there were on-screen nods to the hard-core fans, but whatever was being referenced to went over my uninitiated head. There were plenty of moments where it may have been tempting for people to sing along to the songs that were playing in the film, but thankfully, no one in my theater took their chance. AMC theaters have famously banned people from singing along to the film and have threatened to kick anyone who defies that order out of the theater. The songs in “Wicked” are veritable ear worms that are inescapable on Tik Tok right now and are guaranteed to linger in the audience’s mind long after the film ends.

It is somewhat frustrating that the love between Glinda and Elphaba is only hinted at as being a sapphic romance. It’s played straight as a close friendship, yet by the end of the film, Glinda and Elphaba are clearly obsessed with one another, going to great lengths to be together. There was a male love interest for both Glinda and Elphaba but the chemistry between him and both of the women was lackluster next to the chemistry they had for each other and made the man’s character feel extraneous and thrown in as a red herring. Jonathan Bailey played this Fiyero and there were moments when it felt as if I were watching him on “Bridgerton” in his period clothes attempting to be charming. When he was finally left behind at the school it didn’t feel like anything was lost from the story line.

Something that I am sure will be explained in part two of this film is that Glinda had nothing to give her as a person other than her friendship with Elphaba. She was fake and cheerful in the vein of Delores Umbridge from “Harry Potter.” All pink confections, smiles and toxic positivity with something dark lurking beneath. Perhaps I am looking too hard, but perhaps I will be vindicated in part two. Grande-Butero did a great job as Glinda with her little vocal exclamations and syrupy sweet smiles.

Cynthia Erivo did a lot of the heavy lifting in this film by playing a character who expresses so much through her usually bespectacled eyes. Her character arc was the most complex of the film and Erivo played it to perfection. She is sure to get nominated for awards for this performance.

There has been a lot of discussion on the internet about this film’s greatest and perhaps only flaw being its lack of saturated color. People are so used to the original source material, “The Wizard of Oz” and its over-saturated color due to its use of Technicolor. This film doesn’t feel like it is particularly under-saturated as some people have complained. The colors stand out appropriately and the skin tones make sense.
There have been many arguments made that this film is a metaphor about racism due to Elphaba’s green skin and the way she is ostracized because of it. At one point her skin is used to explain that the green is an outward manifestation of her wickedness and to whip up a mob against her. With Elphaba presumably being the only person in Oz with green skin she is the target of hatred because of her uniqueness — not because of the fraught history of racism and the baggage that comes along with the color of her skin, unlike the way it is in the United States. In the land of Oz, where the only context the audience has is their viewing of the “Wizard of Oz,” the metaphor falls apart a bit under close scrutiny. It also seems as if the land of Oz is accustomed to unique people so it doesn’t make a lot of sense that Ozians would have such gut reactions every time they meet Elphaba, especially in the eclectic Emerald City.

This film had a great moment near the beginning where a disabled character in a wheelchair, Elphaba’s half-sister, Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode) was being moved around by someone that she did not ask for help. The person started pushing her wheelchair while Nessarose protested and Elphaba had a violent reaction to this lack of respect. It was a powerful moment for anyone who has any connection to the disabled community. A moment of recognition that this does happen all the time, where disabled folks are treated as props or as subhuman, and it’s not OK. It was a moment where disabled people can see themselves as seen on the big screen and that has a lot of value.

Michelle Yeoh had a great turn in this film as Madame Morrible, a powerful witch who takes on both Elphaba initially, and eventually Glinda, under her tutelage. There was one amazing moment where Madame Morrible turns to face the camera with a group of flying monkeys buzzing around behind her that was one of the most powerful visual images in this film. Yeoh commands the screen with her gravitas. Her motivations are not made clear until the end of Part 1, yet she really grounds the movie with her presence.
The Wizard of Oz is played by Jeff Goldblum, a role he was born to play, and the puppet that he uses to fool the people of Oz is truly terrifying and well-crafted. Between the flying monkeys and the intense puppet this film may be too scary for children under the age of 8.

This film is bound to break records and to be talked about for years to come, sweeping awards categories. It’s refreshing to see such a beloved Broadway hit with a film adaptation. Perhaps, in the future more Broadway shows will make it to the silver screen. I won’t hold my breath, but perhaps in part two, Jon Chu will give the audience what they want and the love story between Elphaba and Glinda will be more directly queer.