Wicked Part 1 (2024) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey

Release Date: February 4, 2025

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 9.5/10
Disc Rating: 9/10

Synopsis:

Wicked, one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, now arrives on your screen as a generation-defining cinematic event. The untold story of the witches of Oz, Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet at Shiz University and forge an unlikely friendship—before their lives take different paths following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Their extraordinary adventures will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Wicked is an immersive, cultural celebration you’ll want to experience over and over again!

‘Wicked’ invites you to experience the untold story of the witches of Oz, based on the beloved novel and one of the most popular Broadway musicals ever. The tale showcases the early days in the lives of Glinda and Elphaba as they each embark upon a new chapter and begin their school careers at the respectable Shiz University. Initially at each other’s throats, the pair soon begins to form a unique bond and friendship along the course of their schooling as they are forced to become roommates and eventually embark on an epic adventure together that will change them both forever and begin to forge them into the powerful witches everyone knows.

Directed by Jon M. Chu (In The Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) from a screenplay written by Winnie Holzman (TV’s My So-Called Life) and Dana Fox (Cruella); based on the stage play with music and lyrics By: Stephen Schwartz, From the Novel by Gregory Maguire and the Book by Winnie Holzman, Chu does a marvelous job at the helm of ‘Wicked’ guiding along the beloved tale with heart and care put into every element and detail within. The film’s cast includes Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up), Cynthia Erivo (Harriet), Jonathan Bailey (TV’s Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (TV’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Bowen Yang (The Garfield Movie), Marissa Bode (No Roles Written), Peter Dinklage (Brothers), Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice), Jeff Goldblum (Asteroid City) and more, with the majority offering noteworthy or at the very least solid performances in each of their respective roles, and both Grande and Erivo absolutely shine in the leads.

‘Wicked’ is a magical adventure that’s nothing short of outstanding. Rich with heart, humor, beauty and wonder around every turn, it brings the story to life like you’ve never seen before, yet treated with the utmost heart and care that all helps it to come together into an unforgettable musical film that will have viewers cheering. The world of Oz is brought to dazzling life and every element of it looks beautiful, from the towering buildings of Emerald city to the unique intricacies of the school and everything else in between, with every tidbit unique, bright and spectacular, while at the same time never detracting from the power of the story itself and the emotional journey of the characters within.

‘Wicked’ finds a fitting balance of song and story that helps allow some folks (like me) that aren’t always big on musicals to be more receptive, fully allowing the notable and iconic songs their time to shine and stand out, yet with no shortage of time allotted to build the story and characters in other areas between it all. The film clocks in at 2 hours and 40 minutes but it never feels anywhere close once you become fully engaged in the world and if anything it’s almost disappointing when this first part finally concludes. Due to my hesitation of musicals in general I was initially uncertain if I would enjoy it as much as most, but I must admit that I was utterly blown away and to say I’m excited about the second installment would be an understatement.

Overall, ‘Wicked’ is a marvelous and moving adaptation that does an outstanding job of bringing the musical elements to life while still serving up a massive cinematic experience that’s rich with visual beauty, heart and some spectacular performances by a stellar cast, not to mention the care and guidance of director Jon M. Chu whose passion for the material is evident in nearly every frame of the film. ‘Wicked’ easily earns one of my highest possible recommendations. It’s a marvelous film that I would not encourage overlooking, even if you’re somewhat hesitant of musicals like me, you might just find yourself pleasantly amazed at how thoroughly magical and marvelous this film adaptation manages to be. It should easily prove well worth the cost of a rental for those who haven’t yet had the pleasure but might be hesitant to drop the money on a blind purchase.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Wicked’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks fantastic as a whole and provides a clean, sharp and gorgeously detailed presentation from start to finish that’s absent of any notable troubles or issues to be uncovered along the way. Detail is marvelous on everything from character specifics to the stunning world of Oz and its beautiful locations and scenery, while the Dolby Vision HDR enhances much of it by delivering some more rich, vibrant and lifelike colors noticeable on clothing, backgrounds and much more; all of which is perfectly complemented by rich, deep and problem free black levels. Overall, this is a wonderful Ultra High Definition presentation that looks tremendous at every turn and should easily thrill fans and newcomers alike.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is a real treat in itself and it serves up a crisp, clean and wildly immersive audio presentation throughout that repeatedly complements the fun and excitement of the tale. It constantly takes full advantage of all seven available channels in order to send music, flying characters, crowd chatter and a great deal more consistently whipping throughout the various speakers at every reasonable opportunity, while never negatively affecting any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously. Overall, this is a phenomenal Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that never falters or disappoints in the slightest, while fully immersing you in the magic.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Wicked’ features a rewarding helping of bonus content that fans should appreciate in addition to both the ‘Theatrical’ and ‘Sing-Along’ versions of the film itself. Included on the release are ‘2 Audio Commentaries’, the first of which is an ‘Audio Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu’ and the second an ‘Audio Commentary with Stars Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande’. Also included is a collection of ‘Deleted and Extended Scenes’ from the movie (running approximately 15 minutes in length altogether) and the Behind the Scenes Documentary ‘Making Wicked’ (running approximately 46 minutes) which explores various aspects of bringing the film to life and features interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. We’re also treated to a few additional Behind the Scenes Featurettes including ‘Welcome to Shiz’ (approximately 8 minutes), ‘A Wicked Legacy’ (4 minutes) and ‘The Wonderful Wizard’ (4 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Film Rating: 9.5/10
Disc Rating: 9/10

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‘Wicked’’ Arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD February 4, 2025 & is Now Available on Digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

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You can purchase ‘Wicked’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

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