If you’ve ever been to a Broadway show, you know they’re phenomenal. Experiencing live singing and acting from some of the most talented and hard-working actors in the world is an unforgettable experience. Providing viewers with a taste of Broadway at home, with lavish movie sets unachievable through stage props, Wicked–the movie–is simply the best adaptation of this show possible.

     The Wizard of Oz is a well-known American book and movie. A classic fantasy, it tells the story of a hero, struggling side characters, and an obviously wicked witch. The plot of Wicked is twisted throughout this famous tale, forcing viewers to consider both sides of its story.

     When Elphaba Thropp–the main character of the story–is betrayed by her own family, best friend, and mentor, she is cast out as evil by her city of Oz. The movie is an emotional rollercoaster that takes viewers from hating so many characters to loving them, and then hating them again. It’s an amazing drama, and when combined with exceptional vocals and acting, it easily brings viewers to tears.

     When asked her thoughts on the movie, sophomore Morgan Harrington said, “I thought it was a really good interpretation of the original musical. The casting choices, the stylistic choices, and the soundtrack were amazing.” 

      Watching interviews with the stars, Ariana Grande–playing Glinda Upland–and Cynthia Erivo–playing Elphaba Thropp–, it’s clear the two share a unique dynamic that makes for wonderful on-screen chemistry. They’ve grown extremely close throughout the duration of filming, even getting four matching tattoos. Users across social media have even theorized that the two are in a romantic relationship due to their physical closeness, affection, and emotional vulnerability together, thus adding to the speculation of the quality of the movie to those who have yet to see it. 

     Although it’s one of the most successful movies of 2024, some students in the Shorecrest student body disagree with its positive reviews. Junior Charlie Cowan said, “It was worse than I expected. After watching the live play, it didn’t reach my expectations.”

     Was the marketing too over the top? Did it raise expectations so high that the movie was disappointing? To some: maybe. But a movie set has the ability, new to Wicked, to tell a story without breaking the illusion of reality by switching out large, physical stage props.

     While not everyone might agree that the Wicked movie was an incredible adaptation, it’s difficult to argue with the words of professional critics. Many reviews of the film flooded the Rotten Tomatoes webpage. 

     Critic Kristy Puchko said, “Indulgent and unwieldy as it is, Wicked is a thrill, at times wildly funny, heart-soaring, and ultimately inspirational in spite of itself.” Fellow critic Dwight Brown agreed. He said, “Hard to think of many screen adaptations of Broadway musicals that were this magical.”

     Another of the many ways this movie differentiates from others is the aspect of reality. Throughout production, little to no CGI was used. Grande and Erivo even insisted on singing live to pay homage to the Broadway stars who have done so eight times a week since 2003. The original stars of Wicked on Broadway, Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth, were even given features in the movie adaptation. Such efforts to stay true to its live roots are a clear sign of respect to the original structure of Wicked.

     Magical and whimsical, full of drama and action, Wicked is undeniably the best movie of 2024. Between amazing vocals, acting, costumes, sets, and a lack of CGI, nothing can compare to these actors “defying gravity” of the publics’ expectations with this award-winning movie.