Universal has lifted the veil off “Wicked,” and it has garnered positive critical responses on Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. The film’s leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, are also receiving acclaim from all sides as the musical propels them into the Oscar season as worthy contenders.
Katcy Stephen of Variety praised the “Wicked” movie as a “masterpiece,” telling: “Ariana Grande’s interpretation of Glinda is just terrific: she performs with so much exuberance accompanied by jokes and hair whips. Jon M. Chu managed to add so much new dimension to the plot that I can understand it being cut into 2 parts! 20 years wait does justice to the time. ”
Simon Thompson, a journalist, was stunned by how visually the movie was created and dubbed is as ‘an absolutely stunning vision’. He further added, “Leads Erivo and Grande knock it out of the park. Though this may not win over a great number of anti musical types, fans of the genre and dedicated Ozians (Wickhards?) will relish this.”
Ends undaunted sore: “It is hardly debatable that Jon M. Chu, Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande put all their strength, enthusiasm and skills for us to receive a beautiful musical work which is a step ahead of what we thought possible,” wrote Jazz Tangcay for Variety. “You will not believe how stunning Ariana & Cynthia are. The costumes and the production design are a great deal for the eyes, so do the costumes.”
Let me get it out straight I am what you may call a “Wicked” addict. I was there for the first full production of Broadway with the greats like Idina Menzel and Kristi Chenoweth sharing the stage as the abandoned druid Elphaba and the regular glam queen Glinda.
The first thing that comes to mind is the sheer artistry that they showed on stage and because of that, when I sat down to watch the movie adaptation by the director Jon M. Chu of the Crazy rich asians, I was hopeful but cautious at the same time. However, when one minute into the opening number, No One Mourns the Wicked, my doubts evaporated.
Ariana Grande played Glinda and almost singlehandedly added fo a character who has a sweet face without being a burr. Pop music’s latest sensation is 31 year old Ariana Granade, who spins Glinda’s classic numbers, including “Popular” her own. What she does best, of course, is comedy, which is why the audience will remember her. The film features her impression of several one liners and zingers so effectively that it has sandwiched her among first time nominees for the Oscar best supporting actress award. A few years after that, she was awarded the ‘best actress’ of the year for that role in ‘Moonstruck’ and had previously ‘nominated for silkwood’. This is the role Grande was destined to play.
Musical numbers have always found space in the supporting actress category. For instance, when Meryl Streep got a nod for her role in ‘Into the Woods’ and even when Catherine Zeta Jones bagged an Oscar for “Chicago”, such events in the history of the Academy were more common. This year, however, Grande is not the only dolly ready to earn an Oscar. Selena Gomez also got nominated for her Spanish musical & Jennifer Lopez for “Unstoppable” biopic. Lady Gaga on the other hand who starred in Joker 2, has witnessed negative reviews for the film that has greatly affected her chances of being awarded any honors.
Also, there is Cynthia Erivo, an actress who won a Tony for ‘The Color Purple’ and received an Oscar nomination for her part as Harriet Tubman in ‘Harriet.’ In this case, Erivo plays Elphaba, the ‘wicked’ witch, who has a misunderstood character where all she desires is to be loved by those around her. In her self created voice Erivo still executes the role of the character efficiently, however, she has always felt out of place in Oz. In the lead actress category, Erivo’s chances of winning may be thinner than her co star as there seems to be so much competition. Musical performances are Oscar gold as Jennifer Hudson’s win for ‘Dreamgirls’ shows however, voters do not always respond positively into the genre and it is possible that Erivo’s fate hinges on ‘Wicked’s’ award tide’s pull.
That would be plausible, provided they operate within the confines of the technical categories. History tells us it is possible for an engineer to win a Best Picture. Such an outcome is unlikely, however. It is more reasonable to expect that nominations for separately directing, acting and screenplay categories should at least guide a musical in the top category. For musicals, the screenplay category has been one of the hardest hurdles to outrun: there have been only one win in the adapted category (Gigi in 1958) and just four contenders.
This production team appeals to an abundance of Oscar winning experience. Usually one of the most nominated members of the Academy Nathan Crowley with six nominations already under his belt greets audiences with vibrant sets designed to guide the viewer through the sights of a modernized Oz, best known for its maverick director Christopher Nolan in “The Prestige,” “Dunkirk,” and “Interstellar.” The overall scope of the film´s aesthetic fastening brings life to the image, directed by none other than Oscar nominated Paul Tazewell (West Side Story) costumer designer. Elphaba’s deep green toned skin and Glinda’s classic blond hair style are among the striking big screen sights made possible by the effective participation of the makeup and hairstyling crews.
“Wicked Part One”, however, does not have an ‘original song’ which a lot of sources expect will be incorporated in the second part that will come out in 2025. With a solid cast, as well as two major leads, “Wicked” should be able to overcome the Oscar’s gravity if the authorities pull off the high curve target.
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