‘Wicked’ defies expectations, dazzles on screen: reviews

“Wicked” is defying the odds of big-screen adaptations, charming a wide swath of critics and audiences alike up of flying into theaters this Friday.

The  archetypal portion of Jon M. Chu’s hotly anticipated take connected the beloved Tony-winning musical tells the communicative of Oz, the expected Wicked Witch of the West (better known successful this communicative arsenic Elphaba) and Glinda the Good Witch earlier Dorothy was brought successful connected a tornado.

Two-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande prima arsenic Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, successful the roles originated connected signifier successful 2003 by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.

Academy Award victor Michelle Yeoh and Oscar nominee Jeff Goldblum besides star, the erstwhile reuniting with her “Crazy Rich Asians” director.

At the clip of publication, “Wicked” boasts a 92% “certified fresh” captious support standing connected reappraisal aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The assemblage support standing presently sits astatine 99%.

“This isn’t precocious drama, but it is precocious entertainment,” said the Arizona Republic, praising successful peculiar Grande’s “impressive” comic timing.

For those who mightiness fearfulness they’re wasting their time, arsenic this astir three-hour flick covers conscionable the archetypal fractional of the “Wizard of Oz” prequel, Entertainment Weekly assured readers it feels “like a implicit story.”

This representation released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande successful a country from the movie “Wicked.” (Universal Pictures via AP)

While TheWrap said the movie “sometimes captures that uncommon cinematic feeling: enchantment,” Chicago Tribune argued that overmuch of “the magic … remains stubbornly unmagical.”

BBC.com‘s 3/5 prima reappraisal added that the movie “doesn’t instrumentality flight,” lacking “the terrific jokes, the startling twists oregon the stunning creation routines” of its signifier predecessor.

“It’s weighed down by under-developed subplots… arsenic good arsenic by its ain consciousness of self-importance,” said the outlet.

The Boston Globe bemoaned the “visually unappealing” style, and the film’s inability to “handle the tonal shifts.

“Authoritarianism and wide drama marque unusual and uneasy bedfellows,” said the paper.

That “extraordinary, astir overwhelming” ocular aesthetic is conscionable 1 constituent that makes the movie sparkle though, says Empire Magazine. The outlet, which afforded “Wicked” a 4/5, said “the existent magic” lies successful Erivo and Grande’s chemistry.

Those takeaways were shared by Vanity Fair, which hailed the film’s “unreproducible, lightning successful a vessel convergences — of director, stars, craftspeople, and high-status material.”