#wicked critical

[avelera]

Ok I’ve seen Wicked now, and after having read the book, been a fan of the musical since it came out, while being a lonely Oz book fan since I was a child, I can say…

I give it a strong B+

- there were a couple songs I would have blocked differently. Specifically I would have made the vision of The Wizard and I more mystical and less bombast. I would have have made I’m Not That Girl more backdropped by relationship montages instead of solo cuts. I would have chopped up Defying Gravity less.

- Mostly it came to editing. I think there were a few scenes where I think a more A+ editor could have cut it together to be more impactful.

- I think it conveyed to me why Wicked the Musical is one story instead of cutting it in half. The expansion on Act 1 was brilliant BUT I felt the lack of not having the Act 2 of so many characters’ stories. The actors were incredible. I want to see them actually fulfill their arcs.

Luckily the musical has been out for over a decade so the story is all there lol, though I do feel bad for anyone who optimistically dives into the book LOL that’s gonna be a DOOZY for you

[apocalypse-boogie]

I have officially decided that I’m not shipping black (& other poc) characters with white characters that have to be convinced of the poc’s humanity and worth. It’s a nice lesson for story telling purposes, I guess, but why the fuck would I want to ship a black or poc character with someone who either did call them a slur (or got really close to it), actively dehumanized them despite how fairly they were being treated by the poc character, or who had to be taught multiple times (often by the poc love interest at that) how not to be a racist/xenophobic peace of shit?

Like, that’s not romantic or sexy, and it’s not a relationship I want to see progress sexually or romantically. There’s nothing romantic in having to teach your love interest how not to treat you like shit based off only your appearance and the negative stigma associated with it. No black or poc character who has to go through that am I then going to ship with their abuser. Regular enemies to lovers is one thing (even interracially or between different species or creatures) but if the whole crux of the characters being enemies is because one person is just blatantly being racist then seeing those two characters come together isn’t compelling for me.

I’m also done accepting interracial ships where the black or poc character in the relationship gives their entire soul and effort to a white partner who barely gives any of that effort back and basically only has their black or poc s/o acting as their sidekick, assistant/lapdog/thankless savior, sextoy, and/or nothing more than a glorified accessory. I’ve collected enough of those as is, I want better.

P.S.: On my “treating them fairly and the yt character still being racist” point, no minority group (including black and other poc people) should have to be “nice” in order to not be met with racism or bigotry. If a minority is rude or awful the response isn’t then to result to throwing slurs around or misgendering them or whatever, the response is to buck the fuck up and actually pull some creativity out your ass and insult them about the plethora of other things about their person that is the actual problem. So, yes, when I’m talking fictional romance black and poc characters being “mean” is not a suitable excuse and a ‘get out of jail free card’ for the white character they’re positioned opposite of (whether they be future friends or love interests or future enemies or otherwise strangers) being racist to them or any other character of the same racial minority or species.

[pinkbalrog]

Gonna be honest. The gayness was fun, but Wicked the movie was terrible. It made me never want to see the musical on Broadway because the songs were, with a few exceptions, just not great. The plot works for Broadway but comes across as simplistic and demeaning to adult characters who should have atleast some political awareness if they are in the equivalent of college. I hate to give the book credit cause it's just one big soapbox, but atleast the slow creep of the awareness of Fascism was better done there.

The singing was fine. It's just that the plot was paper thin, progressed so slowly, and I dislike most of the characters.

Also, that miserable excuse of an unusable library makes me SEETHE. Who takes an institution with a library like THAT seriously anyway?

If you love it? Sure. It is over the top and that's fun. But I'll take West Side story or The Book of Mormon (I've heard some songs they're cool) or most of Bollywood before I watch it again. Cool concept but not for me. I'll read/watch other political things. Like Andor (I really need to watch that).

[neon-estrogenesis]

People doing mental gymnastics to re-interpret Glinda giving Elphaba the pointed hat reminds me why I enjoyed my echo chamber of Wicked opinions for so long before this movie came out

[hiddenbysuccubi]

That's definitely Fiyero. He's Fiyero. He's just in the wrong movie. But hey, that definitely IS Fieyero.

[mediacinemtographyartetc]

just gonna put out here, that at first I was confused as the Broadway Musical they made it clear when Elphaba was wearing the blue hat/clothes she was a student at Shiz BUT only as a Support for her Sister, hence why her clothes aren't proper in the broadway highlighting how she's unfavoured compared to her sister wearing the correct uniform. (And when she's wearing the WHITE uniform after the popular song/ Fieryo says you've been Galinda-fied she's wearing a proper uniform which hints that it was Galinda who gave her that compared to the old uniform she used to wear showing the 'make-over' Galinda gave her ) So in the movie seeing this outfit/ along with the trailers having Ariana in pink instead of the outfits of the musical such as the Yellow Dress at Oz and other such outfits-

To learn that it was to seperate from the musical make it more uniqe/ the copyright that they couldn't use the exact same outfits (at least that answered my question on why the outfits were different)

HOWEVER, having Elphaba in this cute button up and wearing black at the beggining of the movie DID explain why she wasn't wearing a uniform and why Nessa was surprised she was there. For me, I was concerned they wouldn't adapt it right, but seeing how the movie was sublte and able to progress the scene like the musical and even explained why she wore this outfit was because she wasn't a student yet.

It is a change as the father sprung it on her last minute in the movie, while as the musical made it seem as if she was their to be the aid to nessa (hence the panic/ anger when Nessarose was being wheeled away and such)

I just like how something as simple as an outfit could convey SO much, about how overbearing Elphaba's father is, his devotion to Nessarose as well as being unique and setting itself apart from the Broadway Musical. (And yes the frumpy clothes in the Broadway showing Elphaba's fathers distain is still present given that in the movie since she wasn't a student and how he favoured the YOUNGEST with an education and planned on making her a Governess and shunned the Eldest. The Phrasing was differnt but the overall message was still the same)

Genuinely obsessed with Movie!Elphaba's outfit during The Wizard and I. The SLEEVES?? All the buttons??? The silhouette???? The BOOTS????? The FUSED BODICE?????? So much DIAGONAL MICRO-PLEATING??????? AND with those thick CROSS-STITCHED leggings underneath???????? LIKE????????????

[grrwoof-woof]

"but the text never explicitly stated it!!!" hey, so that's actually what they tried to teach you in those english classes you barely passed 😁

[prokopetz]

I don't have any strong opinions about Wicked (2024) as a film, but I have to admit it's very funny seeing reviewers who clearly have no prior exposure to the material outside the 1939 MGM adaptation getting their knickers in a twist about politicising the legacy of L Frank Baum.

[bestyboy18]

DO NOT IGNORE ME! PLEASE HELP THEM!

Please help Wijdan and her family!

@wijdan1984 and her family are dire need of your help and support! Her husband has gone missing, her children are cold and suffering from the fact that their tent doesn’t protect them from the weather! Not to mention they’re also incredibly hungry. Please if you have any goodness in your heart, donate to them.

[uisceb]

People getting all bent out of shape over Ariana and Cynthia’s Wicked interviews is so funny to me because like…I guess I’m just not surprised that the two of them are emotional about it? They just spent 3 years pouring all their energy into a very emotionally and physically demanding movie, they were fans of the original musical from 20 years ago…More to the point, they’re both clearly hyper aware of the fact that the original musical was incredibly important to people who have been othered/ostracized/abused/denied basic human rights based on race, sexuality, gender identity, disability, neurodivergence, etc, and they’re trying to be respectful of that and do right by those people, which is a pretty stressful position to put yourself in. Cynthia herself is black and queer so you know that shit’s hitting home for her, and Ariana seems to have fully understood and embraced the importance of that as well as Glinda’s own complexity and the whole concept of comphet/pleaser behavior. 

Also I know the word iconic gets thrown around a lot but these are literally ICONIC roles they’re taking on from a story that’s existed well over a hundred years that they’re essentially immortalizing by putting onto the big screen - the fact that interviewers are reacting positively to their portrayals and asking them thoughtful questions about it is probably a huge relief. Plus they seem to have formed a very genuine trusting friendship with each other where they actually feel safe enough to be that open. Like I get that the trend with actors is to be snarky and quippy and funny in interviews, but as someone who tends to be snarky and quippy as a rule of survival myself, it’s actually been kind of nice to see two actors be openly emotional and respectful of what they’re bringing into the world.

Idk it’s just super funny to me that one influencer overanalyzed their behavior and then suddenly EVERYONE jumped on the cynical bandwagon, like people really REALLY want to be angry that these two bitches…checks notes…enjoyed and valued each other and their work.

(Also like…buddy. They’re actors. Crying is kinda their thing. So is the excessive handholding. Don’t know how many of you have ever met an actor before but they really are just kinda…Like That).

[notearsnora]

Best WICKED review EVER.

[meerawrites]

They are correct and should say it louder.

Source: (x)

[costume-bug]

After all those wip photo’s, I’d say it’s time for the finished result!!!

So here it is!!

Definitely one of my favourite things I’ve ever made!!!

[violet-moonstone]

is the book "confusing" or does it just ask you to think instead of spoon feeding you all the answers?

is the character "unlikable" or are you being uncharitable and unused to seeing main characters as anything other than a vehicle for self projection and wish fulfillment (either someone you'd want to be or want to be friends with)?

is the writing "problematic" or does it just display complex and flawed characters navigating a cruel world?

are the sex scenes "gratuitous" or do you just have puritan sensibilities and think that sex is something that needs to be justified because you think it cheapens art?

does "nothing happen" in the book or are you expressing your subjective preference for plot-driven stories as an objective evaluation on the book's value?

did the book "traumatize" you or is that just a term you throw around loosely to describe anything that upsets or disturbs you?

remember that one scene at shiz where elphaba says she likes to read things that challenge her because she likes to think about what she reads, and glinda stares at her like she's speaking gibberish?

yeah.

Don't get me wrong, I do understand why people don't like Maguire's writing but there is a growing trend of people hating any fiction that challenges them.

I saw a review where someone was saying they "weren't a pearl clutcher, but..." and then in the next sentence proceeded to clutch pearls. Your tolerance for bizarre fiction isn't as high as you thought it was. That's fine. It doesn't mean the book is bad.

Imagine reading a book for adults and then finding mature topics in it. The horror!

Maybe instead of blaming the author, blame whatever person or circumstances led to to believe it was a kids' book. *Hint* it was probably the popularity of the musical adaptation and the book reprints with the musical cover on it. Can't wait for more people to watch the movie and then read the book expecting it to be sunshine and rainbows. (No hate to the movie, btw it actually looks pretty good).

[hivemindscape]

the buddy-buddy act ends now

[mediacinemtographyartetc]

Okay just watched the movie- and now I can see that each individual shot in trailers/ gifs looks really cringe- out of context. It actually translates better in a film and I always thought the P.E fight scene was weird and just ugh-

Just to realise it's not only a FORESHADOWING of Part two, but that the movie actually added in subtle details that leads up to the finale.

My worry that Wicked wouldn't understand the nuance of morally grey, flawed characters as well as talk about sensitive discussions and be as subtle as a brick was a VALID concern given that most musicals such as Heathers, Mean Girls and others have failed to understand the core themes of what the musical was about.

And THIS scene ^^ just highlights and implies something insidious and actually gives more weight to the scene in a blink and you MISS IT.

The School of Shiz used to have other animals as teachers before one by one they all left and it was only Dr Dillimend.

However, after a destroyed tapestry of the wizard it revealed a mosiac of animals who were the ACTUALLY teachers of Shiz. Not only was the Wizard removing Animals with new laws and started his change with the education system- such as the scene of the cowardly lion in class right after removing Dillimend and claiming they belong in cages. Given that the wizard and Morrible wanted spies, the change of education teaching young minds to hate animals THIS Scene of Elphaba and Glinda fighting is not only a foreshadowing to them fighting in the Second Part of the musical-

But also a Sign of Indoctrination of Child Soldiers.

If the Wizard wanted spies, of course he won't stop of drafting kids straight out of Shiz to be his little toy soldiers this scene is traning these kids into combat.

Why else would fieryo who is a PRINCE be instead be a soldier at Oz for the Wizard?

It also explains why Madam Morrible only had Elphaba to train and then didn't teach Galinda.

It was because both Morrible and the Wizard were fruads and anyone with real power would be a threat.

But instead Madam Morrible groomed elphaba (and before people come for me, she literally strokes Elphaba's hand before she levitates the coin which felt intentional) But why she wouldn't teach others like Galinda and even puts her down hoping Galinda would quit. And why Galinda bubble is a machine, Elphaba looked easy to mold however they saw that Galinda was headstrong and got what he wanted and wouldn't be able to trust someone like that and was able to stop other students from the potential of using magic.

not dunking on Wicked as a whole just this scene but...what- why is this in the movie? Is this why the movie is split into three parts, instead of characterization it's just a madatory P.E class where they're fighting with...battons?

Musical accurate- where did this happen in the musical????

I'm not mad, just tired and confused, why was this included- I bet they have Demi lavatos confident playing over this scene as well.

I'm not mad- I'm just laughing its funny.