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The movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked was released on November 22 and took the world by storm…or possibly tornado. I watched the movie on opening weekend, along with thousands of others, and loved every second. Warning: spoilers ahead!
The final bows from the Wicked musical, from which the movie is adapted from.
Photo from Flickr via the Creative Commons License.
The original musical debuted on Broadway in 2003, starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. It soon became a success and a fan favorite for musical theater lovers such as myself. So, when the highly anticipated movie was announced to be released after years of production, it’s no surprise it became a hit, just like the musical it was adapted from. And Wicked wasn’t just popular, the movie made over $164 million in its opening weekend around the world.
The story follows the two young women who eventually become known as the Good Witch of the South and the Wicked Witch of the East in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. However, as the musical’s full title describes, Wicked tells “the untold story of the witches of Oz” before Dorothy.
Outcast Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and popular Glinda (Ariana Grande) meet at their school called Shiz, where they are forced to room together. At the start, the two have an undescribable hatred towards each other. This is shown through the viral song “What is this Feeling”. But this loathing becomes a strong friendship as the pair travels to Oz so Elphaba can meet the wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and viewers discover a surprise cameo. There, she discovers the truth behind the cruelty occurring throughout the city and decides to take control of her magical powers. This dramatic scene culminates in the movie’s ballad, “Defying Gravity”, and the end of part one.
Being such a big fan of the original musical, I had high expectations for this movie. But saying it surpassed them is an understatement. Because it was a film, there were a few differences between the movie and the musical, but overall it stayed very true to the original. From the elaborate sets and costumes to the hilarious characters and one-liners, Wicked could be enjoyed by even those usually uninterested in musical theater.
The most impressive part, in my opinion, was the soundtrack. Co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande showed off their powerful vocals in a variety of songs while singing live during filming. For Grande, “Popular” and “No one Mourns the Wicked” displayed her talent, especially in the higher register. As for Erivo, “The Wizard and I”, “I’m Not that Girl”, and of course “Defying Gravity” left viewers in awe.
Co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande dressed in green and pink, respectively, to promote their upcoming movie.
Photo from FMT via the Creative Commons License.
The Wicked movie was truly an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to everyone. The second part to this movie comes out next year, but until then be sure to catch part one in theaters and listen to the soundtrack!
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