Since the beginning of production and filming in December 2022, the release of the movie musical “Wicked” on Nov. 22 has been long awaited by beloved fans. 

“Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu, was adapted into a movie musical based on the hit musical “Wicked,” which opened on Broadway on Oct. 8, 2003.  The movie, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is a prequel to the “Wizard of Oz” and explores the impactful friendship between the two opposing main characters, Galinda and Elphaba (played by Grande and Erivo). Galinda later becomes known as Galinda the Good Witch, and Elphaba becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. 

Going into this movie, I had little background knowledge about the plot of the Broadway musical, and was only familiar with a few of the songs on the soundtrack. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by how the movie panned out. One thing I especially liked were the costumes. I specifically admired Galinda’s costumes, which consisted of an entirely pink wardrobe, especially the sparkling pink ball gown she appears in in the beginning of the film. I also enjoyed the pace of the movie. For it being about two hours and 40 minutes long, I never once felt like the plot was slowing down or the storyline was dragging. I felt as though each scene maintained a quick and engaging pace. 

But what stood out to me the most was the soundtrack. There wasn’t a single song in the movie that I didn’t absolutely love. My favorite tracks would have to be “What is this Feeling?” sung by Erivo and Grande and “Dancing Through Life,” sung by Jonathan Bailey, who played Fiyero. Each song contained outstanding choreography, keeping me entertained and engaged through every number. 

The story follows Elphaba, a young girl who is misunderstood due to her green skin, and Galinda, a girl who desires popularity in the years prior to the “Wizard of Oz” storyline. Throughout the movie, both characters form an unlikely friendship at Shiz University and together uncover the true intentions of the Wizard of Oz as well as the powerful people around them. 

My favorite character would definitely have to be Galinda, as I found that she had great comedic timing. However, I was often frustrated by her ignorance and selfishness at times towards Elphaba and her fellow classmates.  

Since this movie only portrays the adaptation of the first act of the musical “Wicked,” the second movie, portraying Act II, is set to release on Nov. 21, 2025. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, especially since it attracted so many audience members of all ages. If you enjoy musicals or movies with important messages behind them, I definitely recommend this movie. 

5/5 paws