Based on the stage play with music and lyrics by the legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, WICKED is expertly directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights). The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians), Oliver Award winner and Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers), Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s SpongeBob SquarePants, Fosse/Verdon), Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day). – synopsis via Universal Studios.
Confession: I hadn’t seen the play or known much about it, so it was nice going into this and being somewhat surprised. I was also surprised that this is part one and the first half of the story. I knew that this was the story leading up to the plot of THE WIZARD OF OZ movie, and it is about the early years of the “opposing” witches.
I really enjoyed this film. The music was incredible, and the actors gave an incredible performance. Also, the costumes, set design, and cinematography bring the whole thing together. Jon M. Chu has a good eye and, with the help of his team, created an immersive on-screen experience. He has a knack for musicals, and I hope he does more if they interest him.
The two leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have been perfectly cast in their roles. Erivo brings everything she has to every role I’ve seen her in since I reviewed WIDOWS some years back. The emotions she conveys through her songs are moving. Ariana Grande is an amazing singer as well and her character is purposely written to make the audience dislike her. Let me tell you, mission accomplished.
Cast via Wikipedia.com
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, a misunderstood young woman born with green skin who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West
Karis Musongole as young Elphaba
Ariana Grande as Galinda “Glinda” Upland, a popular young woman who becomes Glinda the Good
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, a prince from Winkie Country who meets Elphaba and Galinda at school
Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, a Munchkin in love with Galinda
Bowen Yang as Pfannee, one of Glinda’s college friends
Peter Dinklage as the voice of Dr. Dillamond, a talking Goat and history professor at Shiz University that befriends Elphaba
Luisa Guerreiro was the movement artist for Dr. Dillamond
Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, the Dean of Sorcery at Shiz University
Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba’s paraplegic younger sister
Cesily Collette Taylor as young Nessarose
Bronwyn James as Shenshen, one of Galinda’s college friends
Andy Nyman as Governor Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose’s father and the Governor of Munchkinland
Courtney-Mae Briggs as Mrs. Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose’s mother, who died after giving birth to Nessarose
Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, the headmistress of Shiz University
Aaron Teoh as Avaric, Fiyero’s friend
Sharon D. Clarke as the voice of Dulcibear, a talking Bear who helps deliver Elphaba during her birth and acts as a nanny to the Thropp family
Madeline Wilson was the movement artist for Dulcibear
Jenna Boyd as the voice of Wolf Doctor, who helps deliver Elphaba during her birth
Sarah Mardel was the movement artist for Wolf Doctor
Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, a professor at Shiz University
VIDEO QUALITY 5/5
The video is a 2160p HEVC presentation with Dolby Vision. The images are bright and vibrant to show the shiny side of the Land of Oz. Firstly, let’s talk about Elphaba’s make-up: the subtle tones of green are gorgeous and natural. The hue had to be specific to not match the original film for legal reasons. All of the greens in Oz are radiant and make the world feel a little more magical. The details such as the seam work on costumes and skin textures are sharp. Other colors such as pink and blue also pop. The contrast makes for soft shadows and deep blacks. Skin tones are warm and natural.
AUDIO QUALITY 5/5
The audio is a Dolby Atmos mix that defaults to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mix depending on the setup. This is a sensational mix. The musical numbers are the best part of the show and they do not disappoint. The voices and instruments are clean. The movement in the sound field is perfectly done. The mix is immersive and the sound design is perfectly done. The whole thing feels wide and almost boundless. Most of the film is in large halls and echoing rooms that open things up. LFEs are deep and never too intense. The dialogue is clear and prioritized properly.
SUPPLEMENTS & PACKAGING 4/5
-Audio Commentary: With Director Jon M. Chu
-Feature Commentary: With Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
-Deleted Scenes: with unfinished elements and early-stage CGI
Pfannee & Shenshen Meet Glinda
Shiz Gazette Introduces Fiyero
Toss Toss
Elphaba & Fiyero In The Forest
Elphaba’s Promise
Train Platform Farewell
Boq & Elphaba Talk
Train Ride To Emerald City
In The Emerald City
Palace Monkeys Chase
-Making Wicked: This 45-minute extra discusses the inception of putting the book/play to film with the cast and crew doing interviews.
-Welcome to Shiz: This is with director Jon M. Chu as he shows off the characters and the set pieces.
-A ‘Wicked’ Legacy: The two leads and the director discuss their experiences with the original play plus the song/scene that Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth perform.
-The Wonderful Wizard: This is with Jeff Goldblum as he discusses playing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
-Sing-Along Version of the film
Disc Details
2-Disc Set w/ 1 4k UHD and 1 Blu-ray
Digital Copy
Slipcover included with the initial release
Running Time
160 mins
Edition Ratings
Rated PG
Region Coding
Region Free
4k UHD
Video Resolution
2160p HEVC / H.265
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
HDR
Dolby Vision
HDR10
Audio Mixes
English Dolby Atmos
English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Subtitles
English SDH
French
Spanish
Blu-ray
Video Resolution
1080p AVC MPEG-4
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio Mixes
English Dolby Atmos
English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Audio descriptive
Subtitles
English SDH
French
Spanish
THE FINAL WORD 5/5
The movie is entertaining and builds up into a lively third act. It is an excellent musical with, again, perfect casting in all of the roles. I see why the film got multiple nominations including Best Picture, Actress in a Leading Role, and Actress in a Supporting Role.
Both the audio and video get top marks in their respective categories. The 2160p resolution and Atmos mix elevate the film to reference levels. The movie is gorgeous in 4k and the Dolby Vision makes the colors pop. I wasn’t expecting the release to have Dolby Vision because it is Universal and they typically go the HDR route. The extras are filled with good information about the production and give some excellent insight into how things came to be. A little note: the movie is rated PG and suitable for most ages. The only part that might “scare” a child is the Flying Monkey scene. I highly recommend this one to fans and the interested alike.
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