If you don’t know the history of the musical, Wicked is based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire. It follows the Wicked Witch of the West, first known as Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), before she becomes the tyrant Oz and Dorothy feared in the 1939 film.

Born to parents who hated her for being green – even though it was mostly their fault – Elphaba grew up an outsider until she was spotted by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) while dropping her sister off at Shiz University. His magical talents are nurtured as his rivalry with selfish roommate Glinda (Ariana Grande) blossoms into friendship.

The animals, who previously possessed great power and speech, are under threat, and Elphaba is determined to help them in any way she can. She is convinced that the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) will be able to help her, falling in love with Glinda’s new boyfriend, Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), along the way.

You may remember terrible incantations of alternative Oz through films such as 1985’s Return to Oz and 2013’s Oz: The Great and Powerful. Trust me when I say we’re not going back there.

Yassified Oz slaps, actually

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While the original musical hit the stage in 2003, the film Wicked has an obvious air of 2024. If she weren’t busy making up her own words, Glinda would definitely say, “Kick the boots off the house” regularly and without reason. However, its constant yassification pairs incredibly well with Oz’s charm…and that’s probably because director Jon M. Chu knows exactly who this movie is for (millennial theater kids).

And they will be impressed. With a cast that was eager to tell this story – we all saw the Ariana Grande video of her finding out she had booked the role – almost no detail of the show was spared. There is so much love and care injected into every scene that it’s overwhelming. Where some think Gladiator 2 missed the mark of being an “epic,” Wicked succeeds.

Grande and Erivo are the powerhouses we expect, but Grande may be more likely to win at award shows. While Erivo is a seasoned professional, settling into a lead role with flair, grace and panache, Grande has a new energy that makes comparisons to Kristen Chenoweth’s version redundant. Chenoweth had some bite, but Grande’s version is wise and knowing (to quote the kids). She’s really taking on Glinda the Good…and not very good at all.

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This is perhaps what I love most about Wicked. You can be dazzled by the spectacle of a musical banger after banger as much as you want, but the driving message of discrimination and selfish allyship couldn’t be delivered in a more timely manner. It’s a way for those who say they don’t want to be challenged by art to see the world as it really is, recognizing traits of real life in these exaggerated caricatures. Honestly, I can’t wait for people to see this.

On top of that, the source material is just SO GOOD. Maguire’s story is airtight, hitting the exact level of satisfying beats it needs. Its level of world building will have you moving like the crazy conspiracy theory meme to become an Oz expert, connecting the roles of the original film in ways you never saw coming.

No one is who they seem in Oz, and it’s so easy to believe what you’re told at face value and not freely question the information around you. So in a way, aren’t we all Elphaba?

And yes, Cynthia holds her own in “Defying Gravity.” The trailers don’t do the issue justice, but it’s sublime.

There is, however, a problem…

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It pains me to say that the movie Wicked is flawed, because I was the grown adult who completely regressed back to my 12-year-old self while watching it. It’s not because no one can live up to Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, or because Michelle Yeoh doesn’t seem like the right fit for Madame Morrible (she’s a lot better than I thought, but I still have doubts).

It’s not even because we’re watching a 2 hour 40 minute movie for half the story – it’s rinhour goes by so quickly without ever feeling bloated. Of course, it’s because of the lighting.

Let’s go back to 1939. Audiences around the world were dazzled by the visual prowess of The Wizard of Oz, transforming from sepia to technicolor before our eyes. It’s astonishing to watch even now, with the vibrant and detailed intricacies achieved at great cost (I invite you to read about the making of the film, it’s something extraordinary).

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85 years later, Wicked is visually pale. It’s said that the same level of technicolor dimming can’t be achieved these days – but despite this, Oz looks incredibly dull. The dynamism that the original is known for fights for its life to shine through, but it never quite succeeds.

That’s not to say that the sets themselves aren’t exquisite, but from my untrained perspective, it’s more about the lighting. There’s too much sunshine in some scenes (you can probably guess which one by the viral dross they’ve received), while others are way too dark. It doesn’t ruin the film, but it’s discouraging for a project that clearly took every ounce of energy from those involved.

We have a year to see this improved before Wicked Part 2 arrives, so please listen to your fans, Chu. We just want Munchkinland to be the most Munchkin-y, dammit!

Wicked Review Rating: 4/5 – Excellent

Honestly, no one is more shocked than me technicallyI would give Wicked a 4.5/5. Editorial conventions don’t allow this, however, so he has to stay on the wrong track for his lighting problems.

I feel completely in love with everything else. I want to listen to the soundtrack on repeat until I’m physically sick of hearing it. I want to test my bladder again and sit for almost three hours, picking apart the moments I glossed over the first time. I even had muscle memory come back to me for most of the lyrics, prancing around my office like Glinda on a drunken hen.

What can I say? The film Wicked is a delight – and yes, perhaps the cinematic event of the year.

Wicked Part 1 will be released worldwide on November 22. In the meantime, find upcoming Disney releases, new movies streaming this month, and the best movies of the year so far.

For more information on how we rate TV shows and movies, check out our scoring guidelines here.