Every year, there’s one movie that becomes a friends and family gathering. Last year, the double feature hit Barbenheimer brought cinema back to the mainstream. The year before that, “Avatar: The Way of Water” pulled in similar domestic box office sales. This year, it’s “Wicked”, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. From its A-list cast ensemble to the multitude of internet memes, Wicked has been the center of attention ever since the teaser was released—and for good reason: the highly anticipated adaptation has dazzled fans on Broadway for over 20 years. But does the beloved musical hold up on the big screen?

The overall consensus is that the many wonderful things about Wicked overshadow its downsides. Unsurprisingly, the leads gave incredible performances. Any number Erivo was the primary singer in became a highlight of the movie, and you couldn’t ask for a better performance from her. “The Wizard and I” was an incredible taste of her vocal prowess early on, and “Defying Gravity”’s status as an immortal musical number benefits from her interpretation. While Erivo had the more powerful vocal segments, Grande’s humorous acting made her a great counterpart. Her comedic timing was what made the movie truly enjoyable.

Fans new to musicals will be amazed by the sheer scale of production of this movie. The opening number, “No One Mourns the Wicked”, immediately impresses the viewer with its vast production. On the other hand, “What is this Feeling?” took old fans by surprise with its energetic montage, showing off an expansive choreography and set. In the same vein, “One Short Day” was an exciting introduction to the Emerald City and a nice tribute to the original actresses. Whatever your experience with the source material is, Wicked has something novel to offer.

Despite the enormous budget, Wicked” is far from a perfect movie. For one, there’s no excuse for the color grading being as dull as it was. The most glaring example of this was in “The Wizard and I”, when Elphaba ran to an open field of grain, which was so desaturated it almost looked black and white. Director Jon Chu attributes this to making Oz look more realistic. However, Oz is supposed to be a fantasy land, and every other aspect of the movie, from the ridiculous lines to anthropomorphic animal professors, leans into this. Each scene also dragged slightly longer than necessary. The runtime is long by even modern standards, and considering it’s the first movie in a two-part series, all of it is rising action. The result is an overemphasis on certain thematic moments, making the musical’s lessons less than subtle.

“Wicked” certainly holds up as a worthy adaptation of the original musical. If you’re willing to overlook some story and pacing issues to appreciate some incredible vocal performances, then go see it in theaters before it’s too late.

On this blog, members of the Carmel High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists (and the occasional guest writer) produce curations of all facets of popular culture, from TV shows to music to novels to technology. We hope our readers always leave with something new to muse over. Click here to read more from the MUSE Winter Collection.