I didn’t get it when I saw Wicked in the West when it first opened. I thought as a show, the songs were great, but it had been massively hyped up. I went again a few years later and understood it better, but I still wasn’t impressed. So entering the cinema for the first part of the big screen version was filled with trepidation and the knowledge that the running time was immense, it wasn’t ticking any boxes for me. How wrong I was. Yes, it is far too long, but it surprised me how much I enjoyed it, and I would go as far as to say this is the best screen musical I have seen in years.

The Wicked Witch is dead. The people of Munchkinland celebrate and are joined by Glinda, the good witch. It soon becomes clear that the two witches had history and were close friends when they both attended Shiz University, where Elphaba, a green-coloured woman who has spent her life being bullied and picked upon, shows she has powers that impress one of the teachers, Madame Merrible. Forcing Glinda and Elphaba to share a room, the pair hate each other but start to understand their difference.

One of the things that could have been a big no-no for me was the respect for The Wizard of Oz. This being the story before, would it still manage to capture the magic and spectacle of one of the greatest family films ever. I shouldn’t have feared. This is a beautiful-looking piece that captures the tone of the 1938 classic, as well as putting its own stamp on the look and feel, with vast physical sets that give the movie a sense of grandeur not seen in a musical in a long time (we will try and ignore Cats). The Land of Oz is an explosion of colour, with the university a mix of steampunk and Harry Potter.

Director Jon M. Chu, whose previous films include Crazy Rich Asians and the musical In The Heights, knows how to film extensive routines without relying on over-editing. The sequences are brimming with energy, and you do feel like you are part of the action. He also makes the quieter moments full of emotion and depth, framing them so both the soloist and the sets are just as important.

What screenwriters Winnie Holzman, who also wrote the musical book, and Dana Fox have done to expand the show (remembering that 20 minutes shy of 3 hours is the show itself. This is just act one) is to give the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda more room, so we get to understand the pain that the young woman has to go through, from her birth and rejection by her father to becoming almost a slave to her disabled sister, who her father dotes on, which is why Elphaba ends up at Shiz in the first place.

The film deals with subjects such as diversity without slamming the facts home. There is also a subplot about animals and the power wielded by those who can speak different languages. In fact, this is much deeper than most musicals, which usually just surface. It treats its audience with far more intelligence than they can take so much away from it. It also helps that the songs work incredibly well.

Stephen Schwartz, who wrote two of my favourite musicals, Godspell and Pippin, has put together some real memorable numbers, from the catchy Popular to the show-stopping Defying Gravity, which ends the film (not a spoiler). This is how to make a superior musical by having songs that instantly stay with you long after you’ve left the theatre.

To help the whole thing along, Chu has assembled a dream cast. If there is a weak link, it must be Michelle Yeoh as Madame Merrible. She isn’t terrible in the role but lacks the punch of the singing and isn’t given enough to make an impression. Maybe in Part Two, we will get to see more. As the Wizard, Jeff Goldblum was born to play that role. His quirky delivery and zest for life are infectious and just bring a smile to the face as soon as he appears.

The film could have been stolen from everyone by Jonathan Bailey. The handsome prince whose charms win over Glinda, his performance in Dancing Through Life is an absolute show-stopper; with the inventive set of the university library and his high-powered delivery, it is one of the film’s high points. Yet he cannot take the movie away from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. As Elphaba, Erivo brings a level of emotion that breaks the heart. She is stunning in performance and vocally, making us fall in love with her character and understand why she does what she does. The real revelation for me was Grande, who is terrific. As Glinda and channelling all those Mean Girls in one, she is hilarious. She sparkles with her arrogance, and yet she sings like a nightingale. Having complained that her pop songs are incomprehensible, she punches out the numbers with clarity and charm.

Wicked is a blast. It looks fantastic, joyous, and magical, and I predict it will be one of the biggest hits in an otherwise lacklustre year of movies. I still say it is too long, and to be honest, if that is the only downside I have for a film I wasn’t looking forward to, then it must have won me over. I have to say, I cannot wait till next year when we get Part Two.

4 out of 5

Director: Jon M. Chu

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Andy Nyman, Bowen Yang, Browyn James

Written by: Dana Fox, (also musical book) Winnie Holzman, (music and songs) Stephen Schwartz and (novel) Gregory Maguire

Running Time: 160 minutes

Cert: PG

Release date: 22nd November 2024