It’s only over the last couple of years that I’ve slowly started to get into musical theatre and dipping my toe in and out along this journey of theatrical discovery and after reading rave reviews I found myself compelled to watch the new Wicked movie in IMAX despite never seeing the stage adaptation and wow, the hype is justified! 

Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.
Without needing to see the stage adaptation the film feels like a love letter to the fans as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo deliver masterpiece performances that are heightened all the more with IMAX technology. The theatre sounded beautiful and the crisp images of the image screen further heightened this rather magical (if albeit a little long) Wicked experience.
 
After seeing early glimpses of the film I was worried this would be a CGI mess in places but I couldn’t be more wrong, intricately designed sets make every musical number pop and the dancing and choreography of each number is a sight to behold.
I was sitting in the theatre with zero knowledge of this entire production yet I was tapping my feet and wholly invested in what I was witnessing on screen, that’s quite the compliment for me as a completely blank slate to become invested in something without seeing anything that has come before it. 
Ariana Granda is Glinda in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
I feel as though costumes don’t get enough praise in film reviews but I’ll certainly be including that in this very piece as they popped off the screen. So much colour and how the costumes are in stark contrast to the surroundings in which the characters are located really made them pop.
Eye-candy sets mixed with eye-candy costumes is an IMAX fans dream come true as the vibrancy of the screen lit up in the theatre, there was a gloss to Wicked that I hadn’t seen for some time on the big screen, since Avatar: The Way of Water where everything just looks like a fairy tale, none of it looks real yet it’s done in such a beautiful, charming and endearing glossy way.
Arianna Grande was born to play Glinda, I don’t feel as though much acting talent was needed for her within this role her natural elegance sort of makes her perfect for the role without leaning too heavily into the character. I feel as though she carried herself so elegantly throughout and during the emotional scenes that’s when we see her tap into her range and deliver a full-bodied performance with sprinkles of comedy throughout which matches her persona perfectly.
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
From smashing every note in every song to complimenting Erivo as they synchronize together with a genuine emotional connection it will leave fans salivating for more and there is more to come as this particular film only covers the first act of the musical with a part II set to be released in theatres in 2025.
This start-to-end journey of acceptance and love is weaved throughout a beautiful story and I couldn’t help but feel wrapped in all of the spectacle and wonder. There are not many musicals out there that blow me away, there’s usually a song highlight or a particular act highlight with them all but not many that escalate that quality throughout the entire production. Wicked has that in spades, this film will be VERY successful and could very well lead the way towards being one of the most finely polished musicals we have ever seen.
Ariana Granda is Glinda in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
A near-perfect adaptation of a beloved musical and one that has made me become a fan without any attachment to the stage show or anything of the sort and that takes some doing!
I did feel at times the film could have maybe trimmed a few scenes here and there but it never really drags as such but maybe lingers on a point or two for a little longer than needed.
There’s been a great deal of love and care that has gone into this movie and being a musical after all you need to see this film in IMAX to truly get the best cinematic experience from it all.
I couldn’t imagine watching this in a normal theatre, it needs to have that grandiose showcase on the biggest screen with the best audio to fully sell and appreciate the hard work that has gone into this wonderful production.
WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
Rather than defying gravity, it certainly defied my expectations as I wasn’t quite prepared for just how much I loved this movie! This is a classic in the making and I’m so glad I was around to witness it the moment it was released into the world. 
Did you miss all the photos from the European Premiere of Wicked? We’ve got you covered as we were kindly sent some images by Universal to host on the site for when the cast came to London just a few days ago!
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Our Rating

Summary
Rather than defying gravity, it certainly defied my expectations as I wasn’t quite prepared for just how much I loved this movie!