Wicked: Part One (2024)

Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked: Part 1 is a dazzling musical adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway play, taking us into the fascinating world of Oz before Dorothy.

This first installment chronicles the origins of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young girl outcast because of her green skin, and her relationship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), her opposite in character and destiny.

The film combines impressive vocal performances, such as the iconic Defying Gravity, with a moving reflection on diversity, prejudice and the transformative power of friendship.

Wicked focuses more on building up the musical moments than advancing the plot, and I think the existence of its sequel limits this first instalment in narrative terms.

The film tells very little despite its lengthy running time of over two and a half hours. This translates into sly glances at the clock.

There is an amazing Ariana Grande, who understands her role perfectly: she knows how to laugh at herself and manages to be hated and loved at the same time.

On the other hand, there's her counterpart, a remarkable Cynthia Erivo, who manages to perform her role as the ‘weirdo’ with ease, generating a certain empathy in the spectator. The chemistry between the two is more than acceptable.

On a technical level, the film is massive. Everything is grandiloquent, perhaps too grandiloquent, and this means that, at times, the excess detracts from its impact. However, one of its best virtues is the cinematography, which stands out for its good taste.

Where the film really shines is in its soundtrack. For obvious reasons, there is a great investment in this section, and the result is palpable for the viewer. Through choreographies that are more eye-catching than complex, a great synergy is achieved between the musical and the visual.

This is a film aimed at a very specific audience. If you are not into musicals, it will be practically impossible for you to appreciate the film's virtues, as most of them lie in the inherent elements of the genre, such as the choreography and the great voices.