“To be continued,” the big screen reads, you are taken aback, there are so many loose ends to tie up. What will happen to Elphaba? Or Glinda? The lights go up in the movie theater and you are staring at the screen in awe as the end credits roll. Cynthia Erivo just finished her astounding rendition of “Defying Gravity” and your jaw is on the floor, the only thing on your mind is “When is part two coming out?”
From the bright lights of Broadway to the silver screens of Hollywood, Wicked has been casting its spell on the hearts of viewers everywhere for over twenty years. Every story has two sides, but it is not very often that we hear both. Wicked tells the story of the two witches of Oz, Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West), and Glinda (The Good Witch). The Wicked movie currently in theaters only covers the first act of the stage musical, the two witches meeting at Shiz University, and their experiences while they are roommates at school. The two eventually become friends and go on an adventure to Oz, this leads to the iconic Defying Gravity scene, ending with the famous “battle cry” to close it out.
Many people had little to no knowledge of what Wicked encompasses, except for fans of the musical, of course. Lewis Cass sophomore, Lauren Tocco, thoroughly enjoyed Wicked, even though she did not have much prior knowledge of what the film would hold. “Well, I have seen The Wizard of Oz before, so I was somewhat familiar with the witches. But, I really did not know much about what was to come in the Wicked movie.” There were enjoyable moments in the film, many of which were musically inclined. When asked her favorite song, Tocco replied, “My favorite song of the movie was ‘I’m Not That Girl.’ This was my favorite song of the movie because the vocals of Cynthia Erivo were absolutely breathtaking. It really was just a beautiful song, and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere that it created.” Sophomore, Mia Hall, enjoyed, “What is This Feeling?” because “It shows the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda before they became friends and the choreography and acting throughout the song is spot on.” These are two very different songs because “I’m Not That Girl” is one of the more slow-moving songs in the movie while “What is This Feeling?” is a much more upbeat and fun song.
It is safe to say Wicked was a big hit among viewers. It was rated 88% by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The main concern of many was the length of the movie, running at two hours and forty minutes. Although the movie was lengthy, it was still a hit for many. Journalist Matthew Huff (Rotten Tomatoes) says, “Following in a long line of legendary adaptations, the Wicked film is sure to remain popular long after it has left theaters. If on your ride home you’re asking yourself ‘What is this feeling?’ The answer is: it’s history being made.”
Wicked has been a huge triumph for director Jon M. Chu, but it is only part one, so what is to come in part two? Viewers are left wondering what will happen to Elphaba now that she escaped from Oz. As audiences leave the theaters still humming the catchy tunes of Wicked, one thing is clear, this is just the beginning of the epic journey, and there is still so much more to come. With part two in the works, fans are left speculating about how the story will resolve and what surprises are in store. Until then, the magic of Wicked lives on, reminding us that every story has two sides and everyone deserves a chance to fly!
