“Wicked: Part 1” (2024). Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bronwyn James, Bowen Yang, Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Andy Nyman, Courtney Mae-Biggs, Peter Dinklage (voice), Sharon D. Clarke (voice). Director: John M. Chu. Screenplay: Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Musical Book: Winnie Holzman, Wicked (2003). Music: John Powell and Steven Schwartz, Wicked (2003). Book: Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995). Source Materials: L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) (book), “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) (movie). Web site. Trailer.

Creating and leading a life of fulfillment frequently requires the judicious use of our personal power. That can be challenging in light of what it takes to pull that off. We must be suitably focused yet handle the particulars involved with a deft touch. However, if we fail at that, it’s easy to become frustrated, possibly overpowering our well-intentioned efforts and potentially yielding deleterious side effects, if not outright havoc, that could harm our surroundings or even others. Learning how to avoid those issues and do things right is thus essential, prospects explored in the delightful but poignant new musical fantasy, “Wicked: Part 1.”

It seems virtually everyone is aware of the timeless fable told in director Victor Fleming’s 1939 screen classic “The Wizard of Oz,” based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But how many of us are familiar with the back stories that preceded these works, most notably those of two of the most prominent characters, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North (originally the Good Witch of the South in the principal source material)? That’s what author Gregory Maguire tackled in his 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which was subsequently turned into the 2003 hit Broadway musical Wicked, featuring a book by Winnie Holzman and music by John Powell and Steven Schwartz. And now, the magic and majesty of that musical has been brought to the big screen in a two-part film project, the first, now playing theatrically, encompasses the musical’s first act, with the second installment, to cover the second act, is scheduled to be released in November 2025. What’s most important to remember here, though, is that “Wicked: Part 1” is one of those cinematic ventures that truly and faithfully lives up to all of its pre-release billing, a genuinely rare occurrence in today’s movie industry.

For those unfamiliar with this picture’s source material, the film follows the early lives of its two protagonists, Galinda (later shortened to Glinda) Upland (Ariana Grande-Butera) and Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), characters who would, respectively, later come to be known as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. These residents of the magical land of Oz, a mythical, stunningly beautiful realm located somewhere over the rainbow, come from very different backgrounds. Galinda, for all practical purposes, is a spoiled princess whose every whim has been systematically indulged by her well-to-do parents and who innately expects to get her way in all things, turning unapologetically pouty when matters don’t go as expected. Meanwhile, Elphaba, daughter of the governor of Munchkinland (Andy Nyman), one of Oz’s territories, is a social outcast who faces constant ridicule from virtually everyone around her because of her anomalous green skin, an inexplicable physical trait she’s had from birth as the product of an illegitimate union between her mother (Courtney Mae-Biggs) and a shadowy stranger.

For all their differences, though, both Galinda and Elphaba share a common interest – both are drawn to the art of sorcery, even though their aptitudes for this skill are decidedly different. Galinda is something of a mystical wannabe, while Elphaba is the real deal, despite having doubts about her abilities. Eventually, Galinda leaves home to attend Shiz University, where she plans to study the subject, despite her underwhelming proficiency at it. At the same time, as Elphaba accompanies her younger paraplegic sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), to the school to enroll as a student, she has an unexpected encounter with Mme. Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the school’s Dean of Sorcery Studies. Mme. Morrible recognizes Elphaba’s gift for the subject and offers her an opportunity to study it under her, even though she’s not officially slated to attend Shiz as a student. However, despite her longstanding doubts about her abilities, Elphaba is nevertheless thrilled by the offer and accepts it willingly.

Elphaba’s impromptu acceptance aside, since she’s not been officially enrolled, she has no place to stay, so Mme. Morrible makes arrangements for her new prodigy to become Galinda’s roommate. Galinda’s not thrilled at the prospect, given that she was supposed to have a suite all to herself and now has seemingly been unceremoniously saddled with a roommate (and one whose “unsightly” skin color makes her an embarrassment to boot). But it’s a trade-off for Galinda, since her hesitant agreement potentially provides her with access to Mme. Morrible (and possibly her instruction), especially since the Dean is highly particular about whom she agrees to tutor, a real coup for someone with unimpressive abilities.

And so Elphaba and Galinda thus become reluctant roommates. They don’t get along especially well initially, but, over time, they form a bond as besties. It helps that they each have their own pursuits, too, what with Galinda becoming romantically infatuated with a newly arrived handsome young prince, Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), and Elphaba taking a zealous interest in her sorcery studies, proving that she lives up to all of Mme. Morrible’s expectations. In fact, Mme. Morrible is so impressed that she suggests Elphaba may be gifted enough to meet and work with the ruler of their realm, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), who oversees the kingdom from his home in the resplendent Emerald City.

However, as becomes apparent, not everything in Oz lives up to the carefully crafted façade that has come to characterize it. In particular, in a land that was once peacefully cohabited by both people and talking animals on an equal footing, organized efforts have gradually been rolled out to marginalize the realm’s four-legged residents, removing their civil rights and ability to speak. This is most noticeable through the experience of one of Elphaba’s favorite professors, Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), a talking goat who teaches Ozian history. Having been a victim of comparable ostracism, Elphaba is naturally outraged by what’s happening. And, when an invitation to meet the Wizard is extended to her, she looks to address this troubling development with him during their conversation.

Before long, Elphaba is off to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard with Galinda (now calling herself Glinda) in tow. They look forward to the adventure that awaits them. But, when they finally meet the Great and Powerful One, they soon discover that not everything is on the up and up. In fact, new revelations emerge that threaten their friendship, their dealings with the Wizard and the future of Oz’s animals. Are Elphaba and Glinda up to what faces them? Can they make use of their sorcery skills as effectively as needed? And what lies ahead for them in a highly uncertain future? That’s what awaits viewers in “Wicked: Part 2.”

In the meantime, Elphaba and Glinda continue their efforts to create the lives that suit them, which, of course, requires them to make use of their personal power. But, as becomes apparent in the film, this takes training, discipline and focus where their beliefs are concerned, as they dictate what results. And that’s important to recognize, given the role that our beliefs play in manifesting the reality we experience, the outcome of the conscious creation process, the philosophy that makes such results possible. It’s not clear if these women have heard of this school of thought, and it doesn’t appear to be a course offering at Shiz (at least per se), but, based on how their respective stories unfold, it’s apparent that this line of thinking plays a central role in what they experience, for better or worse.

In some regards, they’re off to a good start by recognizing themselves as “sorcerers.” That term may have some ominous overtones, but it need not be viewed that way, at least with the right mindset. If one believes that sorcery necessarily carries negative connotations, then it probably will, and they’ll be reflected in the outcome. However, if we view “sorcery” as a form of willful, deliberate, consciously creative pursuits, then the results should naturally follow from whatever beliefs and attitudes inspire them, again, for better or worse.

Learning how to make use of this is thus a key component of the education that Elphaba and Glinda receive (and that includes more than just whatever schooling they get). And that’s where their tutelage comes into play, for it helps to provide them with the wisdom and guidance they need to make best use of these practices. For example, it’s important for them (especially Elphaba) that they learn how not to force issues into being – that they need to put their beliefs into place and let them take shape naturally. However, if they were to push matters unnecessarily, they could readily end up with all kinds of unintended side effects, no matter how noble their underlying intentions might be – and it’s easy to see which end of the “for better or worse” scale they’re likely to experience.

What’s more, it’s essential that they’re prepared for the outcomes they’ll experience. If they approach the process haphazardly or willfully ignorant of what will result, they might well be in for a rude awakening. More importantly, though, if they go into the process with an intentionally jaundiced attitude, they could be in for more trouble than they can handle. Indeed, they could easily end up producing outcomes that are positively “wicked,” arguably the most crucial issue associated with the lessons of this story. In fact, onlookers might come to realize that someone could embody that unflattering quality even when it’s not plainly apparent, a scenario that’s perhaps even more troubling than what can occur with individuals who make their infamous intentions completely obvious.

Can these pitfalls be avoided? Certainly. However, it takes a definite sense of self-awareness to do so, and that’s what Elphaba and Glinda are striving to understand in the course of their respective odysseys. Of course, it’s imperative that they recognize the temptations inherent in tapping into our personal power when it’s not tempered with wisdom. Circumstances can easily get out of hand, as occurs on a number of occasions in the film. Firsthand and secondhand experiences with this kind of fallout can play a key role in shaping our perspectives in this regard, too. Consider the treatment that Elphaba receives at the hands of others – the cruelty to which she’s exposed is an integral factor in molding her attitude, a quality that, in turn, makes its way into her own beliefs and manifestation efforts. It’s understandable how that might happen, of course, but, when one considers the impact its influence can have on the results we achieve, it can become problematic quite easily, even with the supposedly best of intentions behind them. Again, this is why it’s so vital to learn how to infuse judicious wisdom into our materialization ventures and the beliefs that drive them.

There’s a valuable lesson to be found in this, and exposing wickedness for its true nature is a theme that symbolically pervaded this story’s original source materials, both in the Oz books and movie and in the original Wicked novel and stage production. It’s been brought to life again here, and its importance in days like these is crucial, given that we’re currently living under similar conditions in our own world, sometimes carefully veiled, sometimes not. In fact, it’s that deceptively camouflaged nature of wickedness that likely prompted the creators of the source materials to tell this story as a fable or as a seemingly lighthearted musical. Such narratives might seem somewhat disingenuous on their face, yet they also encourage us to peer behind the curtains that individuals like the Wizard use to obscure themselves and conceal their true natures, and that’s just one of many messages being imparted both to Elphaba and Glinda and to us.

It’s quite a rare occurrence these days when a much-anticipated film actually lives up to all of its pre-release hype, but this screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical truly does so in every regard. Director Jon M. Chu has brilliantly brought to life the back story behind the lives and relationship of the two witches from the Oz mythology. In telling this tale, the filmmaker subtly but effectively presents audiences with a fable on the nature of good and evil. The result is a thoughtful and thoroughly entertaining tale replete with stunning musical numbers, excellent choreography, ample humor, gorgeous cinematography, an inspired production design and superb performances by the four principals, all of whom are certain to be strong awards season candidates (that’s quite a recommendation coming from someone who unapologetically makes no claim to being a fan of musicals). The picture has already won the National Board of Review awards for best picture and director, and more accolades are sure to follow. More than these attributes, though, “Wicked” is an insightful treatise on the quest for power and learning how to make judicious use of it, both in personal dealings and in matters of wider consequence, a fitting cautionary tale for our times (or any time, for that matter).

If I had any complaint here, it would be my concern that this is yet another example of a story that’s been divided up into two installments, a growing trend that I don’t believe will ultimately serve the movie industry well. However, according to the director, this was seen as a necessary step to do justice to the source material, given that it would have been nearly impossible to cram everything into one picture without doing major damage to the content. And, to give the filmmaker the benefit of the doubt, perhaps that will ultimately prove true with the release of part 2 in 2025 (but I’ll reserve judgment on that for the time being). In the meantime, though, this first part comes through as promised, and, in this day and age, that’s a cinematic miracle in itself. The film is currently playing theatrically in both conventional and 3-D formats, and, by all means, please try to view it on as big a screen as possible.

It goes without saying that “Wicked” is one of this year’s most anticipated films, and that includes expectations for its awards season performance. The picture has already garnered four Golden Globe Award nominations for best picture (musical/comedy), best actress (musical/comedy) (Erivo), best supporting actress (Grande-Butera), and best cinematic and box office achievement. It also captured the National Board of Review Awards for best movie and best director, as well as being named one of the American Film Institute’s best pictures of the year. And there are almost assuredly more accolades to come as this awards season juggernaut rolls on.

The act of creation can be a rewarding, satisfying and enjoyable pursuit. But, if we approach it through unwise decisions, reckless intentions or unfocused efforts, we might live to regret what we’ve done. Others could even come to view us as bad influences, perhaps leading us to being labeled pariahs. That need not be the case, though, if we take the right steps and approach this venture with the wisdom required to do the right thing – and become anything but wicked.

Copyright © 2024, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.