Just like the long running stage show on which this is based, the movie adaptation (part 1) is sure to be popular with gravity defying special effects.
The colourful sets, flashy costumes and impressive cinematography are spectacular.
After intially disliking each other, Elphaba Thropp (a superb Cynthia Erivo, as an emphatic young woman born with green skin), and Galinda Upland (a brilliant Ariana Grande, as a mean, popular young woman) unexpectedly find themselves becoming best friends, after they are enrolled at Shiz University.
Jeff Goldblum (as the Wizard) and Michelle Yeoh (as the Dean of Sorcery) are both fantastic, adding more star power to an already starry cast.
The scene where Galinda finally embraces Elphaba and stops the mean students from picking on her, will likely bring a tear to your eye.
Wicked is probably a bit overlong (the entire stage show is around this running time), and yet, arguably, it doesn't overstay its welcome, with good to great songs and excellent performances.
How does Elphaba go from this to the person she becomes in TWOO? Part 2 follows in 2025.
Side note: Make sure you watch this after The Wizard of Oz (1939) or be prepared to have the secret behind the curtain ruined. That's the problem with prequels.
FG FG FG FG
OTHER CAST INCLUDES: Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage, Marissa Bode and Keala Settle. DIRECTED BY: Jon M. Chu. SCREENPLAY BY: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox. BASED ON: Wicked by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, Wicked by Gregory Maguire, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. RUNNING TIME: 160 minutes. CERTIFICATE: PG. USA.
 is sure to be popular with gravity defying spec...){kind=link}