A promotional poster depicts Glinda, the Good Witch (Ariana Grande), and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) reaching towards each other. “Wicked” follows the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba as they navigate adversity and face discrimination. (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.)

When I walked into the movie theater Dec. 1 to watch “Wicked,” I wasn’t prepared for how spectacular it would be. “Wicked” was released Nov. 22, and reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Directed by Jon M. Chu, known for “In the Heights” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” the movie exceeded my high expectations.

“Wicked” provides the backstory of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West, characters from “The Wizard of Oz.” It explores how they met, their friendship and the events leading up to Elphaba becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.

Act 1 takes place before “The Wizard of Oz” and is set at a magical college, otherwise known as Shiz University. Act 2 is set during “The Wizard of Oz,” and it explores Elphaba’s transition into becoming The Wicked Witch of the West and her separation from Glinda.

“Wicked” is an ongoing Broadway musical that originally starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, when it first premiered in 2003. The movie adaptation is the first half of the story, and it stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Part two is set to premiere Nov. 21, 2025. 

At first, I wasn’t sure how Grande would perform. Despite her time on Nickelodeon, I was skeptical of her acting skills, as I’ve known her mostly as a famous pop star. However, she completely surprised me. Grande’s strong vocals resonated through the movie, and she embodied Glinda perfectly, down to the giddy and overly-girly demeanor.

With Erivo, I was not surprised with her bone-chilling vocals and wonderful acting. I had seen her perform in “Harriet,” and I was floored by her skill while belting out the powerful song “Stand Up.”

In “Wicked,” Erivo took the reins on the song “Defying Gravity” and sculpted it into one of the most astounding performances I’ve ever seen. Her riffs, clear voice and strong facial expressions made me invested in the scene. But it was not just Erivo’s voice that made the song so special — it was the visuals and colors of the scene, too. The beautiful and intricately crafted set and intense colors amplified the magnificence of her performance.

The beautiful visuals were consistent throughout the 2-hour, 40-minute movie. The inherent fantastical and magical plot was elevated further because of the sharp and dramatic colors used in the movie.

Towards the end of the film, Erivo sits on her broomstick with her cape flowing far beneath her. The sky is a swirl of clouds and colors, Erivo’s voice ricocheting around the theater. At that moment, everything worked together perfectly to create a magical moment.

“Wicked” wasn’t just a cinematic masterpiece. It was also emotional and explored societal issues like racism and discrimination.

Elphaba, born green, is disliked by her father and blamed for their familial problems. The movie later reveals that Elphaba’s father was worried that her sister, Nessa Rose, would also be green. To prevent this from happening, he begins feeding her mother milk flowers, which causes her to be born without working legs.

As Elphaba grows up, she is ridiculed by her peers, and when she starts attending Shiz University, her classmates stay away from her out of fear. It’s no coincidence that Elphaba is bullied because she is green — it’s a direct parallel to how modern-day society treats people of color.

With this being said, the idea of pushing through adversity is also present in the movie. Although Glinda shuns Elphaba at first, she eventually chooses kindness and befriends her.

With powerful messages, dynamic vocals and strong colors, “Wicked” is not a movie to be missed. And just like me, you will probably have “Defying Gravity” stuck in your head on repeat days after you watch.