Film Review

Wicked (2024) — a soaring visual spectacle with impeccable comic timing

A green-skinned outcast and a popular student forge a friendship at university, but their relationship reaches a crossroads.

Wicked seemed destined for failure. A 160-minute adaptation of a beloved musical, not only is this runtime longer than the musical itself, it’s just the first instalment in this fictional universe, with a sequel set for release this time next year. This epic musical could have been too childish to draw in adult viewers, or too overlong to prove successful amongst younger audiences. Recreating the Land of Oz isn’t just a huge undertaking in terms of crafting dazzling VFX, but when paired with musical sequences it would also require a visual spectacle that lives up to the legacy of The Wizard of Oz and this hugely popular musical it inspired.

The film features pop star Ariana Grande-Butera in easily the biggest role in her career, where she’s largely had bit-parts in movies before this. Whether it’s this pop star cutting her teeth on a hugely ambitious project, or the controversies…