Not Defying Gravity

Since its announcement, theater kids have been holding their breaths (or space) for Wicked (2024). Anticipation was only fueled by the year-long official press tour, with pink and green merchandise flooding everything from Starbucks drinks to questionable Walmart Mac ‘n’ Cheese. The film, an adaptation of the 2003 original Broadway production, presents an alternative narrative to the well-loved Wizard of Oz (1939), asking if the Wicked Witch of the West was truly wicked and exploring how she earned the title. Following Elphaba Thropp, who later becomes the Wicked Witch, her best friend Galinda, and the love interest Prince Fiyero, the Broadway show was incredibly successful, boosting interest in the new movie’s production. However, while the new release features a beloved storyline and, at times, an appealing quirk and whimsy, its ridiculous three-hour runtime and diversion from the original source material hurt its overall potential. 

Wicked feels disconnected from its source material at times, especially due to faulty casting in some key roles—namely, Ariana Grande as Galinda. During the musical’s premiere on Broadway, Kristin Chenoweth set the bar high as Galinda, bringing dynamic charm and electricity to the role. Chenoweth even managed to create a compelling character during her brief cameo in the film. Grande, on the other hand, lacks such vibrancy; her comedic timing falls flat, each line feeling unnatural and weak. Her vocal presence also does not hold up to that of the original leading lady, nor to the vocals of her co-star Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba. During duets or harmonies, Grande’s vocal presence is overshadowed by Erivo’s more powerful one. In “What is This Feeling,” when the two characters are angrily relaying their frustrations with each other, Grande is practically silenced during the final notes. Even when audible, her performance voice feels soft and lacking in power due to a lack of appropriate vocal mixing. This vocal fragility in Grande’s portrayal not only diminishes the musical impact, but undermines the character’s natural confidence and signature buoyancy. 

Other key theatrical elements were present, but they were not outstanding enough to make up for the aforementioned disappointment—including the choreography. Led by Christopher Scott, who is known in the theatre community for his work on In the Heights (2021), the film’s choreography is comprised of hip-hop, parkour, and other similar stylistic elements. Many of these elements take away from the musical’s grander and more lyrical numbers, instead introducing harsher and more erratic movements. During “Dancing Through Life,” for instance, Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) tries to convince his fellow students to sneak out after curfew to party at the scandalous Ozdust Ballroom. Instead of allowing Bailey to showcase Fiyero’s exaggerated flair and self-absorbance, the choreography has students performing flips and climbing on bookshelves. These moves distract from Fiyero’s solo—and what a shame that is, considering how well Bailey characterizes this role. 

In a similar fashion, the costuming and makeup (headed by Paul Tazwell and Frances Hannon, respectively) fall short. Though some fashion choices offer fun hidden details, like Nessa’s (Mirissa Bode) silver shoes looking like the swirls of a tornado, an homage to the original Wizard of Oz, they also take the audience out of the world: much of the typical Ozians’ wear looks oddly Victorian in nature, which feels out of place within the modern, magical setting. The Broadway costumes should have had more influence on the movie’s wardrobe design to ensure continuity between mediums, particularly in the ensembles; they are the living world in the film and thus need to be attired appropriately.

Another key failure of the film is its run time. Though the film only covers the show’s first act, it runs longer than the entire musical (excluding intermission), clocking in at two hours and 40 minutes. Additional, unnecessary, and seemingly random content was thrown in between familiar scenes to create this runtime. The keystone example of this ridiculous padding was the “Defying Gravity” sequence. The song itself is roughly three and a half minutes long, and it intentionally builds momentum to end Act One with a climactic finale. This conclusive riff, with Elphaba flying triumphantly above the Ozians, was one of the noted reasons to split the show in the first place; composer Stephen Schwartz explained, “Whatever scene to follow [Defying Gravity] without a break just seemed hugely anti-climatic.” However, the song is repeatedly interrupted with flashbacks and unnecessary orchestration in the film, dragging the sequence out to over 10 minutes. This extended pacing reduces the drama and intensity of what should have been a defining moment. For a production that prides itself on momentum and, quite literally, magic, this type of stagnation is particularly damaging. 

The film, overall, was just fine. There were some highlights, such as Galinda’s bubble entrance in the first song, the sleek design of the train to the Emerald City, and a cameo from the original Elphaba (Idina Menzel) and Galinda. Furthermore, Erivo and Bailey were particularly wonderful in their roles. Both actors managed to convincingly develop the complexities of their characters’ internal conflicts throughout the film. With the next chapter offering more personal and emotional work between the two, they seem well-equipped to do justice to the original musical. 

As of now, it is still uncertain whether Wicked: For Good, set to release on November 21, 2025, will outdo its predecessor and defy gravity or simply fall back to Earth. If the production team focuses more on the original source material, which is what earned the film so much press and fans in the first place, and ensures that they are simply bringing a well-loved piece of art to the screen,  the second installation may be a great experience.