Wicked Review: With Romance, Fantasy and Musical

The Wicked Witch of the West was an iconic movie villain for decades, before Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel turned into one of Broadway's most successful musicals, Wicked. Now, more than 20 years after its premiere, Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) directs this big, upbeat studio musical that's both a faithful adaptation and a fresh reimagining of the theatrical work.



Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, the green-skinned outsider who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch. She's an outsider when Elphaba goes off to Shizu College with her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode). Elphaba and Nessa are the daughters of Munchkinland's mayor, Fexper Thropp (Andy Nyman). He shuns his eldest son, preferring his younger brother, who has a completely normal complexion and is wheelchair-bound. It's a burden Elphaba has carried all her life, and her unexpected college admission is just one of those life decisions that she can't make at first. The other students mock her endlessly. They make fun of her behind her back and in her face. It's only after private lessons from magic professor Madame Morrible (a radiant Michelle Yeoh) that Elphaba finds recognition and a glimpse of her potential.

Maguire's novel and subsequent musical gave context and depth to the character of the supposedly wicked witch. The film is a faithful adaptation of the Broadway feature, and Erivo brings the book to life in a new way that sets it apart from the version immortalized by Idina Menzel. Through Erivo, we experience Elphaba's pain and frustration. With the freedom to move freely through a real college and campus-like environment, we see their loneliness in a new light. When she meets Madame Morrible, we feel her hope and perseverance. Erivo is as good as any Elphaba, which is no surprise considering she was nominated for an Oscar for Harriet just one year after her much-talked-about film debut in Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. Now you can watch this Fantasy movie with Afdah movies.
Location: United States

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