When I walked into the media screening of the new Wicked movie, I was apprehensive. So many recent films have tried to take musicals from the stage to the screen and have not lived up to the expectations of theatre fans. 

Given this, I was pleasantly surprised with this film, which, I believe, actually takes the storyline and music to a new level that the musical did not. I have always found the musical to be slightly disjointed, but the movie has a synergy and flow that brings out the storyline in a wonderful way. 

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are perfectly cast and a joy in their roles, with magnificent vocals throughout the entire film. Erivo in particular is a star, with her voice lighting up the soundtrack.

Overall, what makes the movie so good is that there is an overwhelming and prevailing feeling of positivity that it engenders. Primarily this is done through director Jon M. Chu’s use of larger-than-life and bombastically bright sets but it is also done through the quality of the actors used in the film. The vibe is very much that of “Harry Potter” in a way that the musical is not and this works well on the screen. 

The runtime is undoubtedly long at 2 hours 40 minutes but it doesn’t feel like it drags at all. And perhaps most importantly, all of the songs from the musical are retained and it very much feels like a musical, which I was worried it would not.

Overall, this is a great film which captures the magic of the stage production and then takes it to a new level. Well worth a watch for theatre lovers and movie fans alike!

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