Wicked does eventually find its footing – especially when it comes to Galinda’s signature number ‘Popular’, Fiyero’s ‘Dancing Through Life’, and the time spent in the Emerald City. And when it does, it soars. However, there was ample time to make this the singular cinematic musical of this still very young century; and while Part One may quite literally end on a high note, with an excellent rendition of the showstopper ‘Defying Gravity’, you’re left with the impression that Wicked will only work as the first part of a double bill – with Wicked Part Two finishing off the story next year.
This first part of the two-part adaptation has the exact same runtime as the theatrical version! My initial thought was that they might drag it out unnecessarily just to squeeze more money from moviegoers.
Once the movie starts, you immediately understand why the movie is that long. The original stage adaption had a bit of a problem with pacing.
Director Jon M. Chu let the story breathe, and we got to spend more time getting a deeper understanding of Elphaba’s backstory and why she’s so impassioned over the plight of the animals in Oz.
The longer runtime also permitted us to get a richer connection to the blossoming friendship between Glinda and Elphaba. It felt like the characters really earned the emotional response that felt a bit forced in the stage show.
