Wicked (2024)

What makes Wicked (2024) special is how it turns a familiar fairytale world into an emotionally charged, big-screen musical experience that feels both intimate and grand, anchored by a genuinely magnetic pairing. Cynthia Erivo brings aching humanity and powerhouse vocals to Elphaba, while Ariana Grande’s Glinda sparkles with wit, precision, and surprising warmth—their chemistry makes the friendship at the story’s center feel lived-in rather than staged. Jon M. Chu stages Oz as a lush, storybook spectacle—sweeping visuals, confident choreography, and soaring music—while still honoring what fans love about the stage show. If you don’t care for musicals, the heightened emotion and pageantry may not convert you, but if you’re even slightly open to being swept up, this one earns its enchantment.

Jon M. Chu’s Wicked is clearly aiming for a big, heartfelt, spectacle-first reframe of Oz, built around the Elphaba–Glinda relationship and powerhouse musical moments. When it works, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande bring real commitment and vocal fire, and a few set pieces genuinely land. But the film often feels overlong and oddly underlit, with a visually muddied look that can make the fantasy feel more dreary than enchanting, and the storytelling can come off bloated—introducing plot threads and character beats without giving them the payoff you’re waiting for. If you want a tight, sharply paced narrative or a consistently gorgeous, magical aesthetic, this may test your patience; if you’re here primarily for the songs and performances, you’ll likely get your money’s worth.