How did the Wicked Witch become who she is? There is another side to the story.
By Gianna Liantonio
The beloved broadway musical “Wicked” made it to the big screen on November 22, 2024!
This was just part one of a two-part production, the second part will be premiering in 2025, but part one truly exceeded my expectations. Everyone seems to fear that screen adaptations won’t do the Broadway version justice, but this one definitely did!
The cast was phenomenal, especially Ariana Grande, who played Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo, who played Elphaba. They embodied these roles and paid tribute to the original actresses, making it their own at the same time.
The graphics alone made the magic shine through; especially the visuals of Shiz Academy and the Emerald City. The CGI was remarkable, especially when it came to the creation of characters like Dr. Dillmond, played by Peter Dinklage, who was the goat professor.
The story followed the story of Elphaba, and how she grew up misunderstood due to her green skin and magical abilities. Anyone who is familiar with the show, or the movie Wizard Of Oz, knows the sad, tragic end of Elphaba, and that is how the movie started.
Munchkin Land rejoiced for the end of the Wicked Witch, where they sang “No One Mourns The Wicked.” During the song, Glinda revealed how Elphaba was born green and was already an outcast by her family and anyone who knew of her.
We then saw her as a young girl, with her little sister NessaRose who is in a wheelchair. I liked how they showed representation for disabled characters; they had another character in a wheelchair in Munchkin Land. Marissa Bode, who played NessaRose, actually requires a wheelchair in real life.
The movie then panned to years later when Nessa Rose had her first day at Shiz Academy, a school for sorcerers and sorceresses. Elphaba accompanied her, but her father didn’t plan for her to become a student. However, when she saw her sister in distress, her emotions became overpowered, and she made a spectacle in front of everyone.
Madame Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh, saw her power and took her under her wing as an apprentice. This led to her enrollment and becoming Glinda’s new roommate.
We see Glinda and Elphaba, two different characters that become unlikely friends. I loved how Glinda started to change when she realized how unapologetic Elphaba was that she started to drop her “perfect” facade.
During the Ozdust Ballroom scene, Elphaba came and started to dance. When Glinda saw that everyone was laughing at her, she went to the center of the ballroom and danced with her. This became the start of their friendship.
The whole cast, along with the two main leads, made the movie amazing.
Fiyero, played by Jonathan Bailey, performed “Dancing Through Life” so well. The set of the library, which was in a clock tower, was executed very well. The dance numbers were phenomenal. The actor has a musical theater background, and is also well-known for his role in Bridgerton. I loved how he was introduced as an arrogant, pompous prince, but when he and Elphaba saved the lion cub from the cage, he showed his gentle and caring side.
When Elphaba received an invite to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, she asked Glinda to come with her. They traveled to the bright, green city and were met with the munchkins. They walked inside and met the Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum, but the reason Elphaba was asked to go there was more sinister than they thought. Madame Morrible was the reason that the animals had disappeared and planned to have them banished from Oz forever.
Elphaba refused to comply with their wishes, and she ran away. She then got blamed for what she was told to do, and when she ran, people were told of what she allegedly did.
The movie ends where Elphaba grabbed a broom and flew out; the critically acclaimed song “Defying Gravity” was sung. Erivo did the song justice; she captured the emotion that the song conveyed and showed that Elphaba will never conform to what others want her to be.
All the musical numbers and cinematography was amazing, and I would see this movie again and again. The ending, along with other scenes were truly emotional, and I am so happy this musical got adapted right.
I cannot wait for part two to come out on November 21, 2025.
