Wicked is a film that makes you dream. But it also creates so much more

Anyone who has scrolled through Instagram or TikTok a bit in the last two months will not have missed perhaps the biggest film highlight of the year:Wicked. DieMusical adaptation with Cynthia Erivo andIn terms of marketing, the main roles have done everything right.But can the film live up to expectations?And above all, can it meet the expectations of this very close-knit Wicked musical community? Not an easy job...

Wicked tells the story that precededThe Wizard of Oz(perhaps the most famous book in the world) happens. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is a young witch who struggled with exclusion as a child because of her green skin color. The feeling of being different is instilled in her from an early age. Through a small, magical incident, Elphaba is admitted to Glizz University in Oz, where she meets her fellow student Glinda (Ariana Grande). And the two aren't exactly that friendly. Glina is the quintessential Everyone's Darling, the magical equivalent of the pink-wearing divas from high school teen dramas, she's ambitious and, above all, privileged. She loves the attention, but she loves herself even more. And she would like to have the magical power that Elphaba has - not least to impress the headmistress Madame Akaber (Michelle Yeoh). She is also enthusiastic about Elphaba's powers and organizes a meeting between the great wizard of Oz and Elphaba. And as Elphaba and Glinda grow closer and even become best friends, the green witch then has to choose between fame and her moral compass.

What director Jon M. Chu has set out to do, namely adapting one of the most successful musicals in the world, is no easy task. Already running since 2003Wickedon Broadway and has built up an enormous fan base over the last 21 years. And she is perhaps the worst critic of all. But the reviews as well as the number of visitors speak for themselves. It is the third best start of a musical adaptation of all time, in the first weekend alone the film took in $114 million in America and Canada. We are eagerly awaiting the feedback from December 12th onwardsWickedfinally officially starts in Germany. Social networks are flooded with positive reviews, and Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are already hot contenders for the Oscar. There are many reasons for this success. The set is so sensationally and almost surreally well designed that it's hard to believe that so little AI was used. The acting performance of the entire cast is extremely good, especially Ariana Grande (actually even Ariana Grande-Butera, as it says in the credits) makes the cinema laugh out loud and for 2.5 hours you simply forget everything around you in this film.

Of course, what fans were most excited about was the interpretation of the songs, especially by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The latter in particular initially had to contend with a lot of criticism because Ariana Grande is known as a pop diva and Glinda's voice requires a completely different, almost operetta-like technique. At first they didn't want to trust her with this change. But, well, to cut a long story short: Both Erivo and Grande have - as Gen Z would say - slayed so badly. This is the result of months of hard work in which both the vocal and breathing techniques were trained precisely for these roles. For Ariana Grande, a childhood wish has come true, because the role of Glinda has been on her list since she was 10 years old . Particularly impressive: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo decided to perform the songs live. So as Erivo flies through the skies of Oz (she did the stunts herself), she nails every single note in perhaps the most important numberDefying Gravityto hit it so sharply and precisely that it inevitably makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And last but not least, tears come to your eyes. And to also pay a bit of tribute to the men in the film: Joanthan Bailey as the handsome Fiyero can not only look good, but also sing damn well. We tip our imaginary witch hats to this cast.

Talking animals, a city sparkling emerald green, witches and wizards: it all sounds like a shallow fantasy film, but it lacks a bit of depth. Maybe so, but it's complete nonsense. BecauseWickeddoesn't scratch the surface, but conveys a message that resonates and opens up a meta level that couldn't be more important. Because in addition to magic and escapism, it's about respect and breaking down prejudices, about empathy and understanding, about setting boundaries and standing up for your own values. And last but not least, it's about unconditional love: the friendship between Glina and Elphaba. InDefying Gravityboth singI hope you're happy in the end, I hope you're happy, my friend. The message that emerges from this: Even if you don't completely agree with other people's life plans, the main thing is that every person deserves happiness and satisfaction - no matter what that looks like. Within 2.5 hours of the film, as a viewer you experience the entire range of emotions, immerse yourself deeply in the magical world of Oz, and leave the cinema a little more emotional, a lot more thoughtful and definitely very entertained. And we wish we could right nowWickedsee again for the first time.