The world of L. Frank Baum has been a part of our lives for over a century – and whether we were raised with the iconic 1939 adaptation of The Wizard of Oz or any of its other versions or works inspired by his magical writings, it has infiltrated the culture in many ways. One of the most popular works based in the enchanting world of Oz that he spent years creating was not directly written by Baum, but rather done in tribute to his work, with Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West being a fascinating attempt to provide an origin story of the well-known antagonist, as well as a few other characters that played an important part in Baum’s books. The novel itself is well-liked, but it was only when it was adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz that it became a cultural phenomenon. A show that has run for over twenty years both on Broadway and around the world, Wicked has touched the lives of many people, being one of the most successful musicals of the 21st century, both financially and critically. It seemed inevitable that it would be eventually brought to the screen, with several different directors being attached to it at certain points. Ultimately, the duty fell to John M. Chu, who has slowly been establishing himself as a reliable director of big-budget spectacles, with his adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians itself being enough justification for being able to take on more notable productions in the future. His version of In the Heights proved that he had the skills needed for a fully-produced musical film, but nothing could compare to the work he had to do when he was recruited to direct the large-scale adaptation of Wicked, which was immediately established as being a two-part event, taking this enormous stage sensation and bringing to the big screen, which required an abundance of effort and sheer luck that everything would fall into place. The results speak for themselves, with Wicked: Part 1 being an exceptional start for a pair of films that not only honours the original musical, but the entire universe handcrafted by Baum over a century ago, bringing it to life with vibrant colours and a neverending supply of pure heart and soul, exactly the combination required to get this ambitious story to life for an even wider audience.

As is the case with any film based on a beloved property, Wicked had quite a challenge ahead of it, and considering audiences have seemingly grown agnostic to the concept of film musicals (which have been undergoing something of a dry spell for the past decade, very few of them prove to be as successful as they would be in prior decades), there were many risks associated with adapting one of the most successful stage productions in history, and one that has been a part of global culture for two decades. From the start, we find that there was a priority to putting every ounce of effort into this film, which entailed recruiting only the finest artists on both sides of the camera, which was important not only for the sake of honouring the source material and its expansive legacy but also to ensure that the underlying message of the story was not lost. Wicked strikes a chord with a wide audience based on its fundamental themes – this is a story about an outsider attempting to navigate a world in which she is seen as a pariah, despite her good nature and willingness to make a change, but which she fails to do based on the fact that no one seems willing to give her a chance. The concept of someone growing into a villain based on being seen as too different tends to resonate to the point of being almost cliched in contemporary media, but it is important to note how Wicked was one of the first major works to look at how someone can be scorned to the point of becoming a threat to the very society into which she previous attempted to assimilate. The principle based around the hackneyed statement “Why should you fit in when you were born to stand out” is the anchor for this story and something that the film made sure to emphasize, albeit in a manner that also didn’t make it too blantly obvious, since a heavy-handed approach is just as questionable as eliding it entirely. Chu had the benefit of having Holzman onboard as screenwriter, who collaborated with Dana Fox to adapt her book of the musical, which allows for some tweaking to slightly update its themes and register, while also remaining as faithful to the source material as possible, which makes a considerable difference.

Wicked is a show in which the characters are not only integral to the musical itself, but the entire legacy of the show as a whole. Considering the primary players have been influential figures in literature for over a century, any attempt to provide their origins (especially by a contemporary writer attempting to honour the original text, since the creator of these characters is no longer around to provide his input), there was a substantial amount of effort to make them memorable. Based on its various iterations on stage, Wicked has given countless actors their starts in the industry, with the characters of Galinda and Elphaba being some of the most important of the past quarter-century. The actors who originated the roles, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, are still active but could not logically reprise their roles (they are still involved in the film, one of the most delightful surprises in a project filled with them), and instead efforts were made to find a new pair of actors to take on these iconic and intimidating roles. Ultimately, the parts were given to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, two highly-recognizable artists in their respective fields, and therefore far from discoveries, but rather acclaimed performers who have now been given an enormous boost to their careers as actors, something both have experience in, but not on the scope that was demanded by Wicked, which required them to not only make use of their exceptional singing skills, but also prove their mettle as actors, something that has never been in doubt, but which still challenged them more than ever before. They’re both astonishing – Erivo possesses the gravitas and soulfulness needed to make Elphaba more than just a tragic heroine, but rather a deeply complex protagonist, whereas Grande (who has always been extraordinarily charismatic) steals every scene she is in. It does help that they’re playing in slightly different registers based on the parts of the show that were adapted – Erivo plays towards the more dramatic and heartfelt, whereas Grande is almost entirely comedic, meaning that they aren’t competing for the same aspects of the story, and instead complement each other beautifully. More than anything else, they take these iconic roles and make them their own, not relying on previous interpretations to guide their performances, and crafting memorable versions of these fascinating characters. The supporting cast, which includes Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater and Jeff Goldblum, cannot be overlooked, since they may not be the focus for much of the film, but add nuances to the story and are welcome participants in exploring the multitude of themes present throughout.

Considering every work of media either based directly on Baum’s work or inspired by it has been known for its extravagance and visual splendour, Wicked needed to follow the same pattern, which forced Chu to do something bigger and more elaborate than anything else he had done before, leading to a film as exquisitely-crafted as it is heartfelt. We are in an era where seemingly anything is possible on screen, so there was very little excuse for this film to be anything less than a true wall-to-wall spectacle. Many of the people who made the original show such a success were participants in this adaptation to some degree or another, so it made sense that it would be striving to be the definitive film version, rather than just a lacklustre retelling. Chu is not as experimental as his more seasoned contemporaries, but he has experience with musicals – in addition to the aforementioned In the Heights, he has his roots in films with some degree of musicality, which gave him a solid footing as far as choreographing musical numbers, which has always been his strengths, even in films where the music is only secondary. However, this was an even bigger task, and required an abundance of effort, since it is both set within a world recognizable to many viewers and also features new elements that need to correlate with the existing iconography. Needless to say, this is a stunning film – from the sets to the costumes and everything in between, Wicked is extremely detailed, right down to the smallest elements that propel the story forward and make it such a poignant, compelling spectacle. The only element where it falters comes in the use of lighting, which is sometimes a bit too underwhelming, particularly in how it can occasionally drown out the colours, which slightly diminishes the experience – a film set in Oz needs to be bursting with colours in absolutely every frame, and there are a few washed-out moments that could have been massively improved with a few tweaks. Nevertheless, the film is still beautifully made, and the staging of certain musical numbers is extraordinary, with Chu showing his prowess as a visual stylist in addition to his experience with choreography and other elements that are difficult to perfect but are essential to a strong musical adaptation.

Without any sense of hyperbole, the team tasked with bringing Wicked to life on screen had a near-impossible task. For over two decades, this show has built up a legacy that seemed too daunting to even attempt to honour, which is likely why it took so long for it to finally manifest. Arguably, any discussion of this film will only be partially complete, since it is made extremely clear that this is the first of two parts, so a more nuanced deconstruction of both its themes and execution will likely be done when we see the second part, in which most of the interesting developments will take place. It is relatively solid and never feels exclusively like it only setting up the second part, but it certainly is not intent on giving the illusion of being a standalone piece, which has its own merits beyond everything else. Chu may not be the most expected choice, but he does prove himself as having the makings of a truly great director, especially since he touches on the most integral elements, ensuring that we experience both the scope and emotions of the original material, attempting to recreate the magic of seeing the stage production for the first time, which was a revelatory experience for countless viewers, and which has been solidly recreated here. More than anything else, Wicked proves that maximalist cinema is not entirely extinct, with the 160-minute running time allowing for the film to ruminate on certain moments and never need to make any exclusions, while also adding the unique elements that make it more than just a rehashing of the source material and its themes. Wildly entertaining and filled to the brim with energy and charm, Wicked is a terrific adaptation that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the source, capturing the pure enchantment that is truly vital to the story, and which has kept audiences engaged for twenty years, and which has now become the root of one of the most engaging, entertaining musicals of the present era, and one that will likely only grow in estimation as time progresses.