After a long awaited release, Wicked (2024) is out in theaters as of November 3, and it is currently the third biggest opening of 2024. The movie was first announced in 2012, and was delayed during COVID and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, but it was ultimately completed in January 2024. The plot follows the first act of the Broadway musical that first premiered in 2003, where the main character Elphaba embarks on her journey to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. There are big names in the cast, such as Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, Ariana Grande as Galinda the Good Witch, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. With its esteemed cast and long awaited release, is it really worth the hype?
If I were a dedicated Wicked fan, I believe that yes, it would really be worth the hype. The singing, dancing, acting, and visuals were extraordinarily stunning. Viewers could sense the heartwarming connection of female friendship through Erivo and Grande’s masterful portrayals of their characters. The soundtrack included the typical Broadway-type songs from the original musical that were catchy and enjoyable. Animation was done surprisingly well and helped bring to life the set and characters. However, with the movie’s 2 hours and 40 minutes, it was hard to stay engaged, especially as someone who knew little about Wicked previously. It felt like the movie lost the plot towards the end, and too many plot points introduced earlier in the movie were left untouched towards the end. It would have been nice to have seen at least some conclusion to this first part, but that was probably part of the intention so viewers would see the second part. Overall, I do believe that the movie was worth the hype, but it did have some minor flaws.
