Wicked review round up: Praise for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

Fans can belt out the powerful lyrics of Defying Gravity in cinemas across the country as Wicked is now be seen on the big screen.

Reviews from critics have already flooded in, with the majority praising the performances of the main stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Yet while some reviews have said Wicked has found “its ideal form”, others have declared: “It doesn't come close to defying gravity”.

The Standard’s Nick Curtis has offered his view on the film, rating it a three out of four stars, highlighting that Jon M Chu’s “lavish cinematic adaptation won’t disappoint” but refrains from giving it the full five stars for reasons including the film’s length.

Check out what Curtis had to say here.

What are the critics saying about Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo?

Most critics agree that the two main actresses do a fantastic job portraying Elphaba, the witch-in-the-making, and her adversary, Galinda.

The Standard’s Curtis said: “It’s a visually ravishing, emotionally freighted vehicle for the prodigious vocal and considerable acting talents of Cynthia Erivo as the shunned, green-skinned Elphaba and Ariana Grande as the vacuously beautiful Galinda.”

While the Sydney Morning Herald thought, “Cynthia Erivo gives Elphaba all the gravitas she needs without losing sight of her sense of humour, and Ariana Grande’s Glinda is a deadpan delight.”

Digital Spy added: “Wicked's real strength is in the pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Galinda, who excel in the iconic roles.”

What did the critics have to say about the plot?

If you didn’t know by now, Wicked was adapted from the stage musical Wicked, by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire.

The BBC was disappointed with the film’s plot. “The film ends with a song called Defying Gravity, so it's only fair to say that that's precisely what Wicked doesn't manage to achieve.

“It doesn't take flight. It doesn't have the terrific jokes, the startling twists or the stunning dance routines that might have cast a spell on you, and it's weighed down by under-developed subplots and under-used supporting characters.”

Viewers who may not be familiar with the stage show may struggle with understanding the plot, suggested Slant, as a few humorous appearances are specifically designed for devoted fans. “[They go on] long enough that newcomers to the Wicked-verse may be completely lost.”

ScreenRant loved the plot, complimenting the writers for not changing a successful formula. “Wicked is a near-perfect adaptation of the musical; instead of adding new elements, screenwriters Winnie Holzman (who wrote the original book for the stage) and Dana Fox let the story breathe.”

Meanwhile, Variety commented: “The film is still garishly overstuffed, but gloriously so… Instead of feeling bloated, Wicked has found its ideal form.”

How about the songs?

The main question many have in mind is whether Erivo delivered a good enough version of Defying Gravity, possibly the most challenging song in the musical.

Digital Spy thought the song could have been punchier. “There are no complaints with Erivo's powerful delivery, but the number is stretched out too much, with too many interjections of action that dull its emotional punch. There's also a strange choice to not end exactly when Elphaba hits that final note and add some flat additional flying instead.”

But others seem to disagree.

USA Today wrote: “Erivo nails the money notes of signature showstopper Defying Gravity… [and] Grande is known as a singer – and doesn’t disappoint in that area.”

Time Out’s review mentioned, “The songs, especially the ceiling-plaster-loosening Defying Gravity, are belted out via vocal cords you’d pay top dollar to hear in concert”.

Should it have been split into two parts?

No, thinks The Standard. Curtis wrote: “When Erivo or Grande hit yet another sustained high note, I imagine even the super-fans wish they’d get a move on.”

Others appear to agree. Indiewire observed, given the abundance of backstory and Oz mythology in the film: “This spin on the magical story of a kinda magical land will push its audience to hit Wikipedia long and hard after it wraps up its stretched-to-the-breaking-point two-hour-and-40-minute running time.”

The BBC noted that there are “full of scenes in which almost nothing happens with maximum fuss” and that, in terms of the cliffhanger, “It's like being turfed out of a theatre at the interval”.