Wicked review: Wizard of Oz based story is a perfect slice of escapism from the miserable weather and even gloomier news

Wicked

PG 160mins

★★★★☆

THERE aren’t many surprises in Hollywood – but one of them is it took 21 years to get stage musical Wicked on to the big screen.

The good news is . . .  it was worth the wait. This spectacular Wizard of Oz origins story is a perfect slice of escapism from the miserable weather and even gloomier news.

There are plenty of comic moments, magical characters, cute talking animals, extravagant and colourful dance routines — and uplifting songs.

On top of that, the casting feels like it was meant to be.

Pop star Ariana Grande’s ditzy blonde Glinda Upland is a great foil for Cynthia Erivo’s troubled swot Elphaba Thropp.

Born green, and with dangerous powers, Elphaba is shunned by society until the Dean of Sorcery Studies at Shiz University (Michelle Yeoh) takes her under her wing.

Ariana deserves particular credit for keeping her character likeable, even when she’s saying the most thoughtless things.

Bridgerton heart-throb Jonathan Bailey, as playboy prince Fiyero Tigelaar, delivers comical lines such as, “I am happy to be genuinely self-absorbed” with joyful self-depreciation.

Director Jon M Chu, best known for Crazy Rich Asians, should also be commended for sprinkling just the right amount of hints to other hit movies, including Harry Potter, Mean Girls and Dr Doolittle, into his swirling potion pot of a film.

Heart and brain

But there were moments when I wished I could tap my ruby-red shoes to speed things up a little as we learn how the Good and Wicked witches came to be.

Wicked’s run time of two hours and 40 minutes is roughly the same as the stage show — yet this is only the first of two instalments.

Fortunately, there is a show-stopping ending rather than a cliffhanger.

Wicked has plenty of heart and plenty of brain, but sadly not the courage to resist the financial pull of a questionable sequel.