Wicked (2024) Movie Review NO SPOILERS: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang

Plot

The funniest Wicked joke I heard was from a podcast. I’m not sure if it’s The Big Picture or an economics podcast. But they said that Wicked is like watching the cast of The Wizard of OZ back in college.

Set long before Dorothy drops in, the film focuses on the unlikely friendship between the misunderstood, green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and the popular, golden-curled Galinda (Ariana Grande). They are paired as roommates at Shiz University under the watchful eye of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Headmistress.

While Galinda climbs the social ladder, Elphaba discovers a dark political conspiracy involving the erasure of talking Animals in Oz. This leads them on a journey to the Emerald City to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), resulting in the life-altering choice that turns Elphaba and Galinda into the characters you know and love today.

Review

• The Duo: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are a REVELATION. Erivo brings a grounded, soulful pain to Elphaba, while Grande’s comedic timing as Galinda proves she is a legitimate character actress. I’m excited for Focker In-Law, and I’m not even a fan of those movies. I just know that Ariana Grande will deliver. But back to Wicked. Their Popular and Defying Gravity were RECORDED LIVE on set, and you can feel that raw energy.
• The World-Building: Director Jon M. Chu (who did Crazy Rich Asians) insisted on massive practical sets and planting 9 million real tulips. In 2026, where we’re all tired of Green Screen Fatigue, Wicked feels refreshingly tactile and expensive. HOWEVER, most fans probably assumed it was all Green Screen, just like every other Hollywood movie these days.
• Jonathan Bailey: As Fiyero, he brings a ‘devil-may-care’ charm that actually makes the love triangle feel earned rather than forced.
• The Runtime: At 160 minutes (2 hours and 40 mins), it covers only the first act of the stage show. While this allows for more character depth, some critics felt the middle section at Shiz University dragged a bit. But what do YOU think? Is it too long, or just right?
• The Cliffhanger: For general audiences who didn’t know the movie was split in two, the ‘To Be Continued’ ending in 2024 was a bit of a shock, even if it ended on the highest note possible.
• Dr. Dillamond: Voiced by Peter Dinklage, he’s the talking Goat professor who represents the soul of the movie. His awakening of Elphaba’s political conscience is what sets the entire franchise in motion.

Summary

Wicked is about The Machinery of Propaganda. It’s a story of how a government creates a common enemy to distract from its own failures. In 2026, the themes of speaking up for the voiceless feel more relevant than ever. The talking animals serve as a metaphor/allegory for all the DISCRIMINATION in the world today.

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