The musical defies expectations (and gravity)

The first thing to know about “Wicked,” director Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s hit musical, is that the soul of the stage production remains firmly intact.

Despite a $150 million budget and the (theoretical) ability to bury a beloved stage production in CGI goop, “Wicked” nails all the key elements – the songs, the choreography, the exuberant spirit – which made the musical a resounding success in 2003. .

The result is a film that will both satisfy fans of the musical and be immediately accessible to those experiencing “Wicked” for the first time.

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For the uninitiated, the story of “Wicked,” a revisionist spinoff of L. Frank Baum’s “Wizard of Oz” written nearly a century later, begins with the death of the Wicked Witch of the ‘West.

As Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) floats into her bubble to greet the people of Oz, she begins to answer questions about the witch, who she says – with audible gasps – was a friend.

The film then returns to show us the birth of Elphaba, a child of infidelity born bright green. The object of much contempt from society and resentment from her father, Elphaba is prone to outbursts of anger, which is when her rare magical powers surface.

Years pass and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) gets her sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) to enroll at Shiz University, a refuge for Oz’s rich kids. It’s a school where talking animals teach history, wizards mentor gifted students, and books are stored on ornate shelves that look like giant spinning hamster wheels. (It’s probably no coincidence that “Wicked” arrived on the scene while the world was in the midst of a decades-long love affair with the “Harry Potter” books and films.)

Shiz is where Chu, who previously directed the musical film adaptation of “In the Heights,” lets “Wicked” play to its strengths. The costume of Shiz’s students, in their prep school gray, is impeccable. The choreography, as students spontaneously break out into song and dance in no time, is infectious. And small CGI additions, like a flock of hummingbirds ringing school bells, add whimsical colors that wouldn’t have been possible on stage.

Elphaba doesn’t consider signing up, especially after a confrontation that causes her to lose control of her powers. But a teacher (Michelle Yeoh) recognizes her abilities and convinces her to stay, putting her up in a room occupied by Glinda.

Glinda is the stereotypical rich boarder who was never told no, and Elphaba’s move in severely restricts her style. Elphaba, who has spent her entire life being ridiculed, tends to lash out before anyone even has the chance to put her down. But as the film progresses, the two begin to find ways to alleviate each other’s worst tendencies. Glinda becomes less solipsistic, while Elphaba accepts advice on how to be popular without losing herself in the process.

Grande, who began her acting career on Broadway before moving to Nickelodeon and becoming a pop music star, is perfectly cast as Glinda. An alchemical blend of theater kid and queen bee, Grande can go from Machiavellian scheming in one scene to showing off her five-octave range in another.

Erivo, who is one Oscar away from an EGOT, has an equally impressive set of pipes. Her performance of “Defying Gravity,” the final number in Act I of the play, is bound to bring down the house. The supporting cast, from Jeff Goldblum as a thoroughly eccentric wizard to Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”) as a villainous member of Glinda’s entourage, provide plenty of laughs.

The only worry coming out of “Wicked” is how Chu and co. I will follow him. “Wicked Part Two” (coming in 2025) will rely on new songs and expanded scenes to flesh out the story of the second act, which in the musical is much shorter than Act I. But it is a problem for later. As it stands, “Wicked” is a lot of fun.

In a cultural era where any commercially successful original work of art is considered potential intellectual property that can be quickly repackaged and resold in any other medium, “Wicked” is the rare adaptation that both honors its author and justifies its own existence.

Rating: ***1/2 stars (out of 4)

“Wicked” arrives in theaters November 22.

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