Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Shine in the ‘Wicked’ Film Adaptation: Film Review

As a huge fan of musicals, from Grease to Into the Woods, I had such high hopes going into Wicked. Not only because of the genre but also due to my long-standing admiration for the stage play adaptation, especially when the talented Idina Menzel played the beloved character Elphaba. During the runtime of Wicked: Part 1, starring Ariana Grande-Butera and Cynthia Erivo, I experienced a plethora of emotions: happiness, sadness, and joy, to name a few. I want to break this review down into several parts to give our readers a clear understanding of how and why I reached my cinema score below. So, let’s dive in.

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The art and technique used for this film were exemplary; it reminded me a bit of Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, as they appeared to share some similar elements. While watching the film, I envisioned areas where comparable lighting and graphics could be used to bring the novel The Snows of Khione to life when the time comes, especially the underwater scenes.

As much as some people complained about the gradient and low saturation used in this film compared to its predecessor, The Wizard of Oz—which featured bright textures and high saturation—I believe the color grading worked wonderfully here. The central focus of this film was to mark the clear distinction between what is perceived as evil versus good, and it was executed well.

In certain parts of the film, where absolutely necessary, the colors popped, giving viewers a chance to truly appreciate the film’s message and themes for those particular scenes. I especially appreciated this thoughtful approach, as it can feel overwhelming to be bombarded with everything at once without the chance to digest what is being shown. Take, for example, the scene where Elphaba sings her solo after speaking with Madame Morrible. She transitions from a bright, verdant setting full of flowers and ornate columns to a stark, plain field at the rear of the school. This is an excellent use of color transition and foreshadowing.

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We all know the story of Wicked, and while the movie does nothing to significantly change the original context, I found it to be a bit juvenile. Despite being a big film with a star-studded cast, an outstanding soundtrack, and a massive budget for press and marketing, the story lacked depth—particularly for Elphaba’s character, but I’ll elaborate on that later.

Hollywood seems afraid to take risks, which has become increasingly evident. Massive amounts of money are poured into productions each year, yet it’s remake after remake, prequel after sequel. There’s nothing adventurous, bold, or outstanding in terms of storytelling.

As a stage play, Wicked was innovative, largely because of the powerhouse vocals that elevated the story and the gotcha moment when we learn the Wizard is actually powerless. However, the film’s decision to stick 100% to the source material felt like a missed opportunity. The audience for this film is more mature now, especially considering the actresses playing the leads—Cynthia Erivo, 38, and Ariana Grande, 31. This is a very mature cast, far from the teenagers or young adults seen in early Harry Potter films.

When watching the Harry Potter series, audiences expected a cookie-cutter, easily digestible story because it was evident the films were made for a younger audience to enjoy. For Wicked, however, the expectations were different, and I couldn’t help but feel let down by the lack of creative risks.

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As I mentioned earlier, I’m a fan of musicals, and certain actors and actresses can capture my attention simply by being cast in a film. Take Jenna Ortega, for example. I appreciate her as a rising talent, and as a fan of The Addams Family story and Tim Burton’s work, I tuned in for the Wednesday TV series. However, I don’t plan to watch season two. Here’s the issue: we’ve fallen into a repetitive formula when it comes to writing so-called "good versus evil" stories. It’s becoming tiresome and, at times, almost insulting.

Wicked is Elphaba’s story, and yet, in this adaptation, she is outshined by Grande’s performance as Galinda in nearly every way. Galinda’s character appears to have more lines, more uninterrupted songs, and even in the iconic final number, Defying Gravity, she lends her voice alongside Erivo’s. During Galinda’s Popular number, Erivo does not participate in the final belt or conclusion of the performance. Instead, it was Ariana’s moment: the lighting shifted, the screen's texture changed, and she danced, bounced off walls, did a split—the works! Her character came across as vivacious and endearing to the audience.

Ariana single-handedly outperformed her castmates in this film. She did a phenomenal job. However, I don’t blame Erivo for her character lacking depth; I blame the writers. Certain tweaks could have allowed Elphaba to shine more and even given audiences a chance to chuckle at her wit or awkwardness now and then.

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This dynamic reminds me of Wednesday, where the stoic, unpopular protagonist (Wednesday Addams) is paired with a chirpy, happy friend (Enid) who tries to help her be less awkward. Even their dance sequences bear some resemblance. However, Tim Burton handled this dynamic better in Wednesday. He ensured that Enid didn’t steal the show. The series remained centered on Wednesday, allowing her to take the lead and develop independently. Audiences got to know her without her sidekick overshadowing her.

In Wicked, however, Grande was allowed to overshadow Elphaba. I sincerely hope that the second film takes this into consideration and gives Erivo the opportunity to shine on her own. As for the side characters, I found their roles underwhelming. Once again, Ariana is not the main character, yet she gets most of the interactions with the supporting cast—Fiyero, Boq, Pfannee, Shenshen. It left me wondering: who is the star of this story?

This imbalance made me think of Grease, a film that got it right when it came to using side characters to support the main leads. In Grease, Danny, the popular bad boy, and Sandy, the shy new transfer, are introduced to their respective social circles: the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies. The side characters were effectively used to support Danny and Sandy’s journey, helping them grow individually and come together in the end. In Wicked, the side characters didn’t fulfill this role as well, which only added to the imbalance between Elphaba and Galinda.

By the time the final number rolls around, with everyone dancing in the amusement park, we know all the characters. We’ve grown to support them—Rizzo, Kenickie, and even the rest of the ensemble. As the audience, we’re rooting for everyone, including the main characters. This dynamic was also executed well in Mean Girls, where Cady initially hung out with the unpopular group before befriending the Plastics. It’s a great example of giving the main character room to shine without being overshadowed by their co-stars.

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Unfortunately, the sad reality here is that Grande is the bigger star of the two leads, and I believe this was done intentionally to boost ticket sales. It doesn’t feel like the filmmakers prioritized giving Erivo the spotlight she truly deserves. This is evident now as rumors swirl about Erivo’s interest in playing the Marvel character Storm in the X-Men franchise—a move met with skepticism by fans. Meanwhile, Grande is reportedly being considered for an Audrey Hepburn biopic, a project generating excitement among her supporters.

All in all, I’m curious to see where this film takes Erivo and the opportunities it may open for her. However, as a writer, I can’t help but feel that her character’s development could have been handled differently.

Cinema Score: 7/10
by Lisa K. Stephenson