‘Wicked 2024’– A true musical of magic

his year has given plenty of reasons to hit the movies. Whether you were riding sandworms across the treacherous dunes of Arrakis or storm-chasing with Glen Powell, and getting rocked by its sublime 4DX presentation, the cinema experience was rewarding. Now with the year coming to a close you may think there’s nothing left to see, but boring biopics or war stories. Well, wait until you hear the story of why Glinda and that Wicked Witch fell out. It’s long, but full of suspense.

The musical event of the year does essentially boil down to a friendship torn asunder, but one that has epic ramifications, and define’s Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba Thropp as one of the most notorious villains in film history, The Wicked Witch of the West. The film begins with the ending of the story you’re most familiar with, returning audiences to the world of Oz.

Wicked is as loving an homage to the film The Wizard of Oz, as it is a reverent adaptation of the broadway production Wicked. There are sets high and low, with real life trains from another world so tactile you could reach out and touch. The vast land of Oz is as sweeping and epic as it was when Dorothy first crash landed there, down to the most minute details.

Now there’s no sense making a world if no one’s in it. To that end, Wicked is a character-driven story that seeks to evoke sympathy for a devil, and pulls it off. Elphaba’s peers spurn her when she walks into a room, but still she holds her head high. Her skills get put to the test when Ariana Grande’s Galinda struts about as though she were entitled to the ground Elphaba walks on. Cynthia Erivo graciously threads her way through Grande’s whimsical mean-girl antics. The acting powerhouses deliver a pair of the most involved performances of the year, taking control of characters whose previous performers Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth seemed to have an inimitable grip on.

Not to mention, those girls can sing. To call the soundtrack for Wicked an intimidating prospect would be an understatement, but Erivo and Grande attack their roles with ferocity. Erivo in particular is a force to be reckoned with, flooring the audience as she belts out like only a witch can.

It’s epic in every sense of the word. The story is gripping, brought to the screen in a way that feels both powerful and timely, addressing issues that remain relevant today. Elphaba’s journey of being marginalised due to her atypical skin tone feels even more authentic when told by a black woman, especially as she advocates for the right to be heard—both for herself and others. Wicked’s subplot, which touches on the silencing of minority voices and the censorship of classroom teachings, resonates strongly in 2024.

There’s so much more to say about Wicked. It’s moving, it’s hilarious, it has Jeff Goldblum. All that need be said though, is to find yourself to a cinema as quickly as your ruby slippers will carry you.

Rating: G.O.A.T

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.