Since the film adaptation was initially announced in 2012, lifelong and avid fans of the musical Wicked have been patiently waiting and overindulging in trips to New York City to get their fill of Broadway’s origin story of one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time: the Wicked Witch of the West. In 2012, it was announced that the musical would be getting a film adaptation, and nine years later, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were attached to the project in the respective roles of Elphaba and Glinda. As a fan of the musical, I was thrilled. And finally, on November 22, 2024, the most anticipated film of the year hit theaters across the world, and you know I had to go. The film was critically acclaimed, but some reviews did not refrain from voicing criticism.

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The New York Times referred to the film as “lopsided,” and called the relationship between its two leading characters “ambivalent.” Many have also pointed out that the plotline is anti-feminist and centered around a love triangle where two women fight over the attention of a man. Respectively, I do not agree with these opinions.

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Anyone who watched the film with or without prior knowledge of the Broadway show knows that Wicked is so much more than a flop of a feminist chick-flick. Arguing that the film doesn’t pass the fictional Bechdel Test is completely missing the point. The story is not about catty women who sing about their grievances regarding a man (even if that man is Jonathan Bailey), but rather a cautionary tale, warning of the importance of upholding your morals.

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To spoil the film, Glinda flies down from her bubble in the sky to celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch of the West with an elated Munchkinland. As the viewer finds out over the course of the film, Glinda and Elphaba were actually close friends, that is, until Glinda chooses to stay loyal to Oz and the people of the nation, becoming an image of light in a time of darkness as Elphaba accepts her role as the villain in a corrupt and misconstrued story. This makes Glinda question the lyrics of the film’s first song, “No One Mourns The Wicked.” As she watches the embers aggressively thrash through the air coming from the large, statue-esque Wicked Witch of the West set fire by the munchkins, Glinda is left wondering, “Who is truly wicked?” Is it Elphaba, for standing up for the rights of others and what she believes in without fear of repercussions, or is it herself for abandoning her only true friend to live a lie?

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To sum things up, I really enjoyed the film. Of course, the themed cups available for purchase at movie theaters were also a perk, but the impossibly powerful and stellar soundtrack, score, message, acting, and production were what stayed with me the most and convinced me to buy another ticket to experience it again the next week. So, as we enter December, just know that the soundtrack will be streaming.