Mark Kermode reviews Wicked - Kermode and Mayo's Take

#MarkKermode #SimonMayo #FilmReviews

Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman because of her green skin, and Glinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads.

[mrbeast]

Saw this earlier tonight. Yes I absolutely agree with Mark. I really enjoyed it too, thought it was actually very good. I don't think I'm really the target audience (40 something man), but I think I got more out of this than any film I've seen for a long while. If given the choice of seeing this or Gladiator 2 again, I'd honestly want to see this.

[craigm]

Just finished watching Wicked with my 7 year old daughter.

We had to split it into 2 parts because of attention span & bedtimes.

She loved it as much as I did. And I cried at the end. Guess at 47 I've lost my immunity to musicals :D

I did not expect just how political it was going to be, and the message it's sending is absolutely relevant for right now.

[rednovember]

Wicked + Gladiator 2 = There's no place like Rome.

[ashleydavall]

I knew Ariana could really belt out a tune & I knew, like most of those Disney Club kids, she could act, but I was absolutely knocked back by the transformation in this film. Her acting is good, very good in fact & the vocal prowress... It's a full operatic soprano. Cynthia, of course, is a powerhouse on all fronts. This was the role she was born to play. It is worth watching, as long a film as it is, for the two leads alone.

[sheilasmith]

I went to see the movie yesterday and can only reiterate what Mark says about it. Didn't feel like a long movie and thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to Part 2! I've not seen the stage show as not had the opportunity. 🎉

[NateGHO]

I love how all my film communities really REALLY don’t want to like this movie, and all the reviewers are coming out with glowing reviews of this film. Musical Theater is back on the big screen in a good way, finally

[Exdus]

I gotta admit, Ariana Grande is a god damn massive multi talent!

[barrybernstein]

I saw " Wicked" when it opened, in the Chicago production. I wrote to Stephen Schwartz
afterwards and told him that the audience when coming out of the theatre looked as spellbound
as the mothers and their young daughters coming out of the American Doll shop in Chicago.
I humbly asked him if he was influenced by Beethoven and Puccini . In particular to the
opening of his show. Which had a resemblance to the opening of Il Tabaro by Puccini set on
on a barge on the river Seine . And that in "Defying Gravity " could I recognize a reference with
"LIMITED" to "somewhere over the rainbow" from the original " Wizard of Oz"
In all of his great humility Mr Schwartz wrote back to me , in my home city of London and told
me " yes". And that the musical would be coming to London. We saw it on the second night at the Apollo
in Victoria; With our six and four year old granddaughters dressed up as Elphaba and Glinda, And All of us
left the theatre spellbound, After seeing Idina Menzel as Elphaba,
So if you don't like Beethoven, Puccini and Somewhere over the rainbow. Stick to your karaoke musicals.
Where you know all the songs before you go and see a show or film. In my opinion " Wicked" is an
absolutely fantastic musical. In the real meaning of fantastic.

[leroystea]

So well said. It was the original trailer for this film that sold me on going to see it. I have some knowledge of the written source material and had never seen the stage play. For me, it was the first time in many years that I so enjoyed a film. So many messages in the story without being preachy. The talent of everyone involved blew me away. It was obvious that a ton of work, love for the story and its characters is brilliantly showcased in this movie. And it was good to be entertained instead of being pacified. Ariana Grande put her heart and soul into this as did Cynthia Erivo. I don't know how the OSCARS will play out in this and I hope they get recognized for all the talented work that went into this. Such a good movie.☺

[offradarpodcast]

This film made me care (and I didn't expect to)! What a surprise. Totally agree with Mark on this one.

[bradjackson]

Went with my wife, who is a super fan, I've seen the stage show on the west end and enjoyed it. Really enjoyed the film, more than the stage show. My wife was really worried about it being bad beforehand but she said it was perfect.

[Pongant]

Honestly, one of the best versions of this musical, and easily the best Oz we had since 1939

[Boxcar]

Like Mark, i don't gravitate to musicals, i find the singing style with it's blustering and often tortured vowel sounds as ear cringing as Opera (no matter how well it's staged or sung) and quite interestingly the clips of the stage show confirmed this after seeing this film. I loved the film, the performances, everything - and it's interesting to note that film adaptations of stage musicals often seem to ditch those tortured vowels and nasal sounds in service of a less forced singing style. Perhaps it's a function of projecting in theatres, although most musicals have their entire cast mic'ed with headsets these days. Anyhow...loved it. Converted. The last musical film i liked was Sweeny Todd. It's a long time between drinks.

[sashadeshon]

What a fabulous review. Can’t wait to see it.

[lorenzomoseley]

I think the thing that set this apart from a musical like the greatest showman (TGS) was that TGS really a lot more focused on attracting the "musical" lovers. These shows like TGS or mama mia are all spectles focused on the songs the dialogue are just there for exposition between the songs the stories don't really matter that much. Where as Wicked had songs as part of the story much more similar to say lion king or moulin rouge, even the blues brothers and grease. What was fantastic about the movie for me was that where the stage show makes you imagine the world while you watch it the movie showed you it. Thats the only way i can describe it but it was fantastic. Also it had other themes within the story which were not overwhelmingly shoved in your face these themes were focused on racism, slavery, genocide, maybe i am over analysing a bit maybe im not.

[pugletpie]

I noticed a few lines in Popular that I thought were quite topical, I'm sure anyone can guess which ones

[kylewhittle]

Just finished watching it. Absolutely loved it

[jamiewillis]

I went to see this last night I wasn't a theatre going fan like Mark is but I thought the songs, the comedy, the acting all perfect especially the climatic flight scene (you'll know it when you see it) reminds me of that awe-inspiring scene in Man of Steel when Clark Kent first tried to fly it was like that, absolute *chef's kiss*, perfect. I'm fully going to see the second part next year and got the soundtrack downloaded onto Spotify

[Tout_va_bein]

I just want to check. Has Mark seen the stage show? He didn't mention anything about seeing it or not.

[kevinhebner]

Wasn’t planning on going to this with so many other films coming out:

“The Room Next Door”
“The Brutalist”
“Hard Truths”
“The Piano Lesson”
“September 5”
“I’m Still Here”

But after hearing this thoughtful review, I think I’ll go this weekend.

Thank you!