Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Hello and welcome back to Movie Deputy Reviews, where we go deep into interrogations that maybe go a little bit outside the box of what you're used to. But that's kind of why I do what I do. I don't want to be a cookie cutter. I don't want to be just another movie critic. I don't want to be just somebody else that just blends into the background. I want to look at movies from a unique perspective. And the one we're talking about today is definitely from a unique perspective. So please bear with me. This one is. This one's going to be a little bit of a bumpy ride. So I want you to hang on because this one, this one's going to be interesting. This one is a movie adaptation of a very well known story. Now, if you are fans of Broadway, you are probably going to be very familiar with this story. If you are fans of the particular stars of the Broadway show, you are going to be a big fan of this one as well. But there is just something about this that I think may surprise people. And don't worry if you, if this is your first time to Movie Deputy, you never have to worry about spoilers with me, like literally ever. I despise spoilers. And so I just kind of come at this from a little bit of a different angle. I want to be very upfront and honest. Like I pretty much always try to do that with my listeners is I have never seen the Broadway adaptation of the movie that we're talking about today. I have never seen any adaptation of it before. So my introduction into this movie was seeing it like everybody else saw it, except a lot of people there were familiar with the movie, with the story, and I wasn't. Am I familiar with the story it was inspired upon? Absolutely. It's a classic. Now I'm sure you've been able to figure out by now the movie I'm talking about, but I will go ahead and tell you anyways. Today we are talking about Wicked Part 1. Now, a lot of people don't realize that the Wicked movie that it opened this weekend or opened today is just part one of the story. Now you may be thinking, wait, what does that mean? Well, it means obviously that there will be another part to this, but that is not expected actually until next year. It's expected in 2025.
[00:02:27] But what we get here is a story inspired by the classic written by L. Frankbaum. And I am referring to the one, the only, wizard of Oz. Now, I don't know of anybody off the Top of my head that has never seen that movie. I'm sure there are some of you out there that haven't, but it's just one of those timeless classics. Dorothy is trying to get Toto back from the mean Wicked Witch, and she gets sucked up into this tornado, and she finds herself in the Land of Oz in Munchkinland, and it's just her story of how to get home. And it's a beautiful story, and it's maybe a little intense at times for young viewers, but as just in generally, it's a definite innocent rating on the Deputy scale. Like I said, there's a few scenes, but nothing that would be overly intense. Now, as for Wicked, I cannot necessarily say the same innocent rating. We. I don't know if you've ever read the book Wicked, if you're not familiar with the Broadway show or if you have seen the Broadway show, but it starts out with a scene of adultery.
[00:03:47] And so that's going to bother a lot of people right there.
[00:03:52] It's just gonna make people uncomfortable. And because of that, because of some other scenes in the movie, I am giving Wicked a guilty rating. Now, bear with me. I will give you the score that I gave this, but it's just a process, so follow along with the process with me, please. And it's like, it's going to be a little different than what you expect. I notice the other people that I'm talking to about this. It's on an extreme end of the scale. Like, I talked to people after watching this, and some are like, this is the best movie I've ever seen. 10 out of 10. Excellent. 100%.
[00:04:29] And literally the person that had been sitting right next to her, I'm sure you've probably seen the MEM videos online of, like, the one cat or different animals where they just kind of turn and look and you're just kind of that.
[00:04:44] What? Like, did you watch the same movie I was watching?
[00:04:48] And so I couldn't help but ask. I asked Esther what she thought of the movie, and it took her a second to answer, and she goes, I'd be generous if I gave it a one now. It's just interesting. These two people, I don't know if they were friends or if they were sisters, but they came together. And just the one was absolutely 10 out of 10, and the other one was like a 1 out of 10. Because this was not the story that she was familiar with. And she said she's a huge fan of the Broadway show. She said, they've seen it A couple times, actually, in Broadway, but its adaptation to film, she just was not even. She couldn't even find words to describe it. Now, mind you, like I said, I have never seen the Broadway adaptation and I have never read the book. The book, from what I understand, because I, like, I was talking to actually a bunch of people last night. But the book is actually a lot more edgy. It's more pushing the boundaries. It's offensive to many people because of the way that it is presented in the book. And so starting out the movie with the scene that it did is not necessarily that unusual when you look to the book itself. Now, I also like to touch on the fact that I never, ever read the books. And so that's another important thing to touch on. But I just go off of information that people tell me, is it accurate? I don't know, but it's their interpretation of it. And I feel like because of the way that I do the reviews, the way that I do them, I try to be honest.
[00:06:25] So in this one, the result of this affair, we get to see Elphaba. And she is. She's born and she's green. Because of that, she is an immediate outcast. But she is the sweetest, most loving young lady. And she grows up to be this beautiful, strong young woman. And then she goes off to Shiz University. Now, don't, don't worry, I didn't curse just there. It's Shiz S H I Z University.
[00:06:53] So I just want to touch on the fact. I did not say the word that that just sounded like. But it's Shiz University.
[00:06:59] And while she is going there, she is going there to take somebody who is near and dear to her. And while she is there, she meets Galinda. Now, there's a reason for my pronunciations of that, and if you're familiar, you'll understand.
[00:07:14] If not, it is Galinda is this very uppity, very entitled, very snooty would be a good way of putting it. Young lady also attending the university. Her dream is to apprentice under this sorceress.
[00:07:32] And unfortunately, she is not the one that the apprentice wants to work with. So as the story goes on, we see or as we know, the story of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West. And that's who we know, Glinda and Elphaba. But the thing is, it's not that simple. Their stories are so much more complicated. How they got to where they are now and where they're going from here gets a lot more complicated. And there is issues of bullying and there is issues of just inappropriate behavior and just things that you would not expect. Not knowing what this is, I kept thinking. My brain kept going back to the original wizard of Oz and trying to compare it to how this is playing out and see how things. How the story progresses and watching these two characters interact.
[00:08:35] And at one point, they're even the best of friends, if you can even imagine that. And like I said, don't worry. No spoilers ever. Nothing even close to a spoiler.
[00:08:44] But as part one of this story wraps up, we get to see a really defining moment in their lives.
[00:08:53] And it just.
[00:08:56] How do I put this? I don't want to just leave you sitting in silence. And I'm trying to really. That's one of the reasons I don't script any of this ahead of time. I sit down with my notes I take from the movie and I just want to sit here and talk to you about the movie.
[00:09:10] So what we end up seeing is it's kind of. They kind of are turning the.
[00:09:18] Kind of going down that path of becoming the characters that we're so familiar with.
[00:09:22] But in doing so, some things happen that you just don't expect. Now, as a story itself, that this story sounds really strong and really intriguing, does it not?
[00:09:35] But these characters, the people chosen to play the characters, the ones on Broadway, I'm familiar with Kristen and Adina very much with different parts of their works, but the cast members chosen to play this out just.
[00:09:55] I kept waiting for the wow moment throughout the whole movie. I was just waiting for the wow moment. We're taking two very talented young singers, young actresses, and putting them in these very iconic roles. And you just want a wow moment.
[00:10:16] I mean, there's such an iconic story, such iconic people portraying the story, and you just want more. Even. I mean, and I know this is just part one, so I know there will be more, but it leaves you wanting more. Not necessarily in the way that would draw you into it. It more leaves you. It's like, okay, like, why was this okay? I'd not think. I'm not anywhere near as harsh as giving it the 1 out of 10, but as you know, I'd never give anything a 10 out of 10 on the Deputy scale score wise, after weighing everything out, looking at the story, looking how the movie was just kind of portrayed, and I normally don't focus on technical jargon with movies and stuff, but this one, there was some sort of a.
[00:11:10] I don't know if it was something they did with the Cameras or something added in editing. But it's like there's this filter over the entire movie that just distorts things just enough to bug you. And another thing that's important to mention is if you are sensitive to anything happening with animals or two animals, there's nothing like overly graphic or overly violent about what is happening, but definitely enough to make you uncomfortable if the stuff like that bothers you.
[00:11:44] And there's just.
[00:11:49] You expect.
[00:11:50] You come to expect certain things out of certain characters based on what we know about them.
[00:11:56] And in these roles, you don't even feel like you're watching something on Broadway. You don't feel like you're watching a movie. You don't even feel like you're watching a TV show.
[00:12:08] These the characters that are being portrayed here and the way that it is being done, you never get quite drawn into the movie.
[00:12:19] And I expect to be kind of drawn into the movie. I want to be drawn into the story. I want to be brought into the world of fantasy.
[00:12:29] And this one just fell short.
[00:12:33] So when it comes To Wicked Part 1, I am giving it a 5.5 out of 10 on the Deputy scale.
[00:12:44] It's not forgettable, which would be in the fours by any means, but it's not necessarily memorable either. It will be memorable because of the music. The music that is done in the movie. That is what will be remembered and memorable. And it will be. Remember. I can't talk. It will be memorable because of the fact that this is the movie adaptation of this classic story.
[00:13:11] But if it had to stand on its own without the references to the Broadway show or to the book or even to the wizard of Oz, this would be a complete flop.
[00:13:25] But because it does have that to lean on, it gives it a little more oomph. So I for one, am hoping that they will find their traction for part two, that they will find the magic that they tried to have with this one.
[00:13:42] So I hope that you will stick around. I love helping bring these movies to you in this format. As always, you know which buttons to push. You always get the latest and greatest movie Deputy content. And I will be back soon. Bye.
