Wicked

For starters, I have seen the original Broadway Play of Wicked and I really like it. I love Wizard of Oz growing up and I thought it was a good interesting take of the world and setting.

As a film, I was always curious to see how it would be adapted. While I do appreciate it's faithfulness to the source, there are some good aspects but also not so good. Throughout, the costume designs, the production and the sound designs are amazing. It helps to build the world of Oz and create it's vibe. Including the musical score and singing that offers a vibrate, energized and colorful vibe.

However, as a whole, the dull presentation and it's stretched out narrative really seems to fail for me to fully engage with it's power. Writing wise, the narrative is interesting but being stretched out and added with unnecessary characters and moments makes it dried up. Causing some of the characters to be boring and not fully engaging.

The dialogue is pretty bad and there are some poor noticeable uses of CGI that kills away the magical vibe and feel of Oz. Most of the performances are just fine but they never really wowed me in anything particular. Because as a whole, I feel it's a bit overhyped.

I am a huge fan of Wicked. I went to see it in theaters when I was growing up and then sound track was so addicting! I was skeptical about the live action ( rightfully so ). I think there was a lot that was able to be captured cinematically that can't be done in the theater, which was cool to see. Cynthia Erivo's performance was wonderful as Elphaba, but Ariana Grande's depiction of Glinda was mediocre at best. I still prefer the theatrical version of the story and watching the film for 3 hours only for it to be part 1 is not worth it. BUT I think if you're a Wicked fan, you should still check it out for yourself!

The acting's great, the sets and choreography are spectacular, vibrant and full of colour and there are some great songs (in between them belting out notes for no reason), but it's hard to recommend when so much of it is left unfinished. The light plot fells drawn out, mainly focusing on the relationship between the two leads, with other characters barely used and other plot points never really explained. There's some good humour and attempts at defying traditional expectations but I never felt in awe or amazed at the magical world of Oz and the ending, whilst dramatic, felt rushed.

Overall = 6/10.

I can't quite wrap my head around all the positive comments for this film, they go so far that it is almost suspicious.

Anyway, me and my partner looked at each other after 1 hour and nodded to each other that it was time to leave. The storyline was going nowhere and it was frankly dull. I was really disappointed after reading some of the reviews for it, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. It was so predictable that I could sit there and mouth the next line before they even said it, the cinematography was pretty average too, for me there wasn't much to like about it. Perhaps kids would enjoy it more? Sorry but I won't be watching P2.

Everyone was so hyped for this movie so I finally watched it. I liked a few of the songs but the script and acting is bad. The story isn't great either. Ariana does a fantastic job and she is a delight in this movie. Everyone else in this movie is meh.

Also, it's almost 3 hours but for no reason. Like whyyy? Also a part 2 is coming ? No thank you. Some of the songs should have definitely been cut out as they were not good and didn't help the plot. Honestly I'm confused what the plot even was.

Side note: a lot of this movie is just weird and the visuals don't even make sense. Like a Tim Burton movie but not a good one.