Some people have ears that are a little too big for their hat, or a nose that makes them stand out in a crowd. But none of those physical challenges even come close to Elphaba’s struggles.
Elphaba, you see, is green.
Elphaba’s flesh is actually a violent shade of green: a spinach-cabbage-and-kale-juice-in-a-blender tint. From the moment that she was born in her little Ozian home, people were aghast at her verdant appearance. And no one could explain how it had happened.
In any case, Elphaba’s skin shade ensured teasing and torment her entire life. Even her own father only endures her because she loves and cares so well for her crippled sister Nessarose.
Now, Elphaba is entering into Shiz University, along with her sister, Nessarose, who’s in a wheelchair. The reactions of the other students are nothing new: They look sadly upon Nessarose and are appalled at her greenly offensive sister.
Then there’s Galinda.
Despite all the glares and uncomfortable sighs around her, the incredibly popular and blonde Galinda took very little notice of the disturbance. She had so much more to think about: her smile, her hair, her reflection in any shiny surface. This school icon with her radiant hair, perfect ears and button nose barely had time to spare for a black-clad green person.
In fact, Galinda probably wouldn’t have given Elphaba so much as a sneer except for … two key interactions.
The first of these moments was when Elphaba let her emotions get away from her in the school courtyard and something, well, stormy happened. Was that magic? You hardly see that in Oz anymore.
Galinda and the other students were suddenly quiet and paying attention. Galinda in particular. For, you see, she wants to be a magic user herself. But she doesn’t seem to have much aptitude for it. Could it be that the green girl can … oh, never mind. It must have been a trick of the eye.
The second special moment took place just after Galinda finished unpacking her many cases and wardrobes in her dorm room. It was at that instant that the door opened and in walked, of all people, the green girl. She’s Galinda’s roommate.
But here’s the thing: It was at this exact moment when these two locked eyes that something stirred in both their souls. Something deep, something unexpected. Fervent as a flame, it’s a feeling neither have ever felt before.
What could it be called?
Uh … loathing! Yes, that’s it.
They hated each other with a red-hot passion; so pure, so strong. This is bound to be a terrible year. To be breathing and sleeping in the same dorm room with someone like that. These two are both certain that it will be a disgustifing experience.
Or.
Maybe.
It could be the beginning of a friendship that’s altogether magical.
[Note: Spoilers are contained in this section.]
Early on, we hear someone ask why wickedness happens. And in reply someone asks, “Are the wicked born, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Of course, those aren’t the only two ways of becoming wicked, but the musical uses that question to point out that you can’t assume someone’s character simply by their appearance.
In fact, some of the most impressive and admired people in the land of Oz prove themselves to be quite unworthy of respect. And the musical encourages us to show everyone around us compassion and respect, no matter what they look like or how much they may be unlike us.
On the other hand, we do see someone who’s caring and nice turned to anger because of others’ foul choices.
It takes a while, but eventually the mutual animosity that Elphaba and Galinda feel for each other gives way to self-sacrificial friendship and respect. Galinda does something mean to Elphaba, for instance, but then realizes that she has judged the young woman poorly and she steps up to save her in an embarrassing moment.
As friends, this duo stands up for one another to fight people with ugly agendas. Galinda even goes so far as to rename herself “Glinda” in the face of one such attack on others. In fact, when Elphaba meets the supposedly all-powerful Oz, she puts aside her own desires to ask for help on behalf of those oppressed.
It’s also obvious that Elphaba loves Nessarose. And she does her best to protect her disabled sister.
The land of Oz is a place of magic; it’s a world where animals can speak. But we hear about a recent event that has begun to drain the magic out of the land. Animals are beginning to lose their speech. And there are only a rare few who can still use magic spells.
Some people exclaim, “Thank Oz!” And that wizard is thought of as a great magician. However, we soon learn that he is quite powerless. Elphaba, however, has a great deal of genuine magical ability. She, however, keeps her magic skills quiet and doesn’t really know how to control them. That magic generally leaks out in explosive ways when she gets emotional. (She causes a destructive storm in one such case and smashes glass cabinets in another instance.)
Eventually, however, Elphaba gains more control under the tutelage of a professor named Madame Morrible. And when shown a magical grimoire, Elphaba realizes she can read the book’s language, an ability that even Madame Morrible can’t match. She reads a spell and transforms a group of characters. Then she recites a spell that gives her the ability to fly. Both of those spellcasting moments involve her intoning somewhat ominously in a foreign tongue from that arcane grimoire. And while the source of Oz’s magical power is never identified, those scenes arguably depict magic as dark, mysterious and foreboding. Madame Morrible magically controls a rainstorm.
We see Elphaba’s mom kiss her husband goodbye and thereafter invite another man into their home. We see them caress and flirt with each other and it’s implied that they are having an affair, though we don’t see them go any further.
When Prince Fiyero shows up, just about every student (female and male) seems practically transfixed by his effervescent charisma. Some check out his backside as he passes. A couple of male characters exhibit some effeminate mannerisms. Outfits worn by some guys could be seen as resembling skirts.
Both Elphaba and Galinda are attracted to Fiyero, but while Galinda approaches him openly, Elphaba shies away. But it’s obvious that Fiyero has a mutual attraction to Elphaba.
Galinda wears some short skirts and nightwear that show lots of leg and bare shoulders.
A large group of sentient animals go through a very painful, magically induced transformation. We watch them writhing in obvious pain, a scene that could be disturbing for younger viewers. Soldiers with weapons chase and threaten Elphaba and Galinda. A hot air ballon is punctured and falls burning to the ground, smashing down with an explosion. Several men fall to the ground and their death as well.
Characters smash through huge glass windows on the top of a tall tower. Elphaba does so as well and is only just kept from hitting the ground several stories below. Kids tease and throw rocks at a girl. Armed guards clash with flying animals. A man falls over dead with a heart attack.
Oz, we learn, is guarded by monkeys that are quite fearsome. Scenes in the Wizard’s castle involving those animals could—like the original Wizard of Oz—be scary for little viewers.
There’s no foul language, but someone calls out, “Get stuffed.”
Elphaba’s mom drinks a green liquor with her lover. A pair of nurses take short swigs from a different bottle after seeing Elphaba’s birth.
A small bundle of flowers is magically held aloft and spun in the air, and their pollen causes a roomful of people to fall asleep. We hear about Elphaba’s mother consuming a drug (made from “milkflowers”) that eventually kills her during childbirth. It also leaves Nessarose crippled.
We learn that someone has been purposely persecuting and caging the sentient animals. We see an animal professor dragged off and a little lion cub in a cage. And that persecution is at least part of the reason that animals begin losing the power of speech.
From the moment Wicked first hit the stage in 2003, audiences were enchantified by its emerald sparkle. And there were many reasons why. This show’s Stephen Schwartz-penned tunes are nothing short of magical; its Wizard of Oz backstory is fun and immersive; and the tale’s encouragement to show others respect, compassion and affection are emotionally moving.
(OK, I’m admittedly a fan.)
So, the biggest question I had with this cinematic version of the musical was whether or not the film’s creators messed the whole thing up.
I wondered if they would pack it with junk that didn’t need to be there? Would they reshape the story, change its intent or maybe turn a cold shoulder to families? Did they, you know, do all the stuff that modern Hollywood has been doing as of late?
And let’s face it, those questions are justified since this movie, representing the first half of the musical, is 2 hours and 40 minutes long while the entire runtime of the stage musical was 2:45. (Part 2 is scheduled for release in 2025.)
Thankfully, however, I can report that the moviemakers have kept things pretty faithful, despite the extra screen time pad. Yes, there are a few light story shifts and extended scenes, but it all maintains a close fidelity to the original musical’s book.
Oh, and the newly casted Elphaba and Glinda—Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande—do a very nice job of embodying their characters. They might not quite live up to the chemistry of Broadway originals Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith—who show up for a sweet little cameo—but they’re very good.
All of that said, there are some things families need to be aware of here. The first drawback from a family-viewing perspective arises in an implied affair between Elphaba’s mom and a stranger. A student at Shiz University is characterized in a stereotypically effeminate way. And the depiction both of casting spells and Oz’s castle (and its animal denizens) is dark and intense in spots, perhaps too much so for particularly sensitive little eyes. And, of course, we also have some jump-from-a-tower-top-while-soldiers-swing-swords peril.
Fans of the Wicked Broadway production likely won’t be surprised or too concerned by those issues. But families new to this PG story will want to weigh those concerns carefully for impressionable little hearts.
If your family members can tap dance their way by those bits, though, they’ll leave the theater humming some incredible show tunes and mulling over the show’s very real-world lessons and encouragements … and impatiently looking up the release date for Part 2.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
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