I’ve always been one to enjoy a good musical. My mother imparted in me a love for theater as well. Thanks, mom. And the twist-ory that comes with deconstructing a familiar tale is a special treat that never grows old. So, it’s unexpected given all these things that I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing/hearing the tale that is Wicked. I’ve been interested in the stage production for years but never had the opportunity to see it. Never heard a single song. And never saw more than the initial teaser and original trailer for the film. To say that I’ve been stoked to finally see a version of Wicked on the big screen is an understatement. The excitement was enough for me to once again break protocol this weekend and venture to my local theater, along with half the city seemingly, to pop my Wicked cherry.
I enjoyed the film, but upon reflection I must admit I wasn’t blown away as much as I expected or hoped to be. Based on what’s in the movie and having no other basis for comparison, I’m sad to say I'm left a bit underwhelmed.
The commitment to practical sets and a reduction in green screen technology is noticeable and it does create a more engaging look to the film. The costumes and set design are rich and textured. The musical numbers solid and well-choreographed. There’s a lot of fun and charm with a nice touch of whimsy. Good direction and cinematography.
The surprise passing of the torch was a welcome, happy bonus.
The casting.
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda are a mixed bag for me. Both definitely have the singing chops without a doubt. But for me Grande’s acting didn’t exactly blow my skirt up. There are definite moments that really work for me, but overall, there’s just something flat and superficial in her performance I found off putting. Cynthia Erivo's performance is one of the most effective things in the entire film and the contrast between the two upset the film’s balance and undercut the chemistry between the two actors/characters. It could’ve been much worse, but I wish it had been better.
The biggest issue with Wicked by far is the length and pacing. The two-hour forty-minute runtime is excessive. Especially given this is part one of two films. I’m fine with long films if that’s what’s needed to effectively tell a story. But here there’s a lot of padding with little payoff. More character development, less fluff.
Please and thank you.
The editing in Wicked was done with love rather than with an eye to creating a tight film. There were many scenes that would have benefitted from some cuts, without losing any of the overall delight and making for a better narrative altogether.
For instance, the plot points around the animals and also of Elphaba wanting to meet the wizard, just didn't carry as much weight as they should. There was just too much time between the emotional beats of the story due to the added run time, which lessened their impact. You easily forget about these, and they become more throwaway than story. The connective tissue doesn’t hold up as well as it could as a result.
While Wicked I wasn’t the slam dunk hit, I hoped for, it’s good and worth seeing on the big screen if you’re interested. You’ll definitely want/need to pace your beverage intake to make it through comfortably. While I’m not really sure why they split this one into two movies short of a money grab, I’m glad I went and look forward to seeing what they do in part II.
For this previously uninitiated movie goer Wicked gets a 7 from me.
#Wicked
No comments:
Post a Comment