‘Wicked: Part 1’ review: Is it better than Broadway?

The running time of “Wicked: Part 1” is 2 hours and 40 minutes. And you wouldn’t know it from the marketing, but that’s only the first half of the story of Elphaba and Glinda and their respective journeys to become the good and evil witches of “The Wizard of Oz.”

It is only in recent days that I have heard the film referred to by its full title including “Part 1.” I think the studio executives must have realized that they would face an audience revolt if viewers went into the movie expecting to see the entire plot arc and only got half.

There is precedence for that rage. I’ll never forget coming to the end of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” and realizing that I would have to wait two more movies and two more years for a satisfying conclusion. In the theater I shouted, “What do you mean?” at my friend who had read the books and had to patiently explain to me how trilogies work.

Before seeing “Wicked: Part 1,” which opened today, I wondered if the filmmakers might still have an audience riot on their hands, even with “Part 1” made abundantly clear, because 2 hours and 40 minutes is an awfully long time for one half of a story.

When my oldest daughter turned 11, I took her to see “Wicked” on Broadway. The full run time was 2 hours and 45 minutes, including a 15 minute break where we paid about a million dollars for a water bottle and a box of Junior Mints. We both loved the show and were swept up in the magic of live theatre, but agreed that a good 20 to 40 minutes could be shaved off the show. Not all the songs were bops and not all were necessary.

So I went into “Wicked: Part 1″ curious to see if and how the film got its length, given that the Broadway show took only five minutes over half of the film and still had some fat to cut. I was skeptical that it would serve that runtime. And I expected to be a little bored, as I was in the play.

But my goodness: “Wicked: Part 1” charmed me. I wasn’t bored for a single second.

Even sleepy songs were so visually engaging that I didn’t mind a few melancholy tunes here and there. I should have known the movie was in more than capable hands with John M. Chu, who made “Crazy Rich Asians,” which is the only movie I’ve ever finished, and then immediately said, “I want to watch it again, ” because it was so cool to see the first time.

It seems that not a penny of the $145 million budget was wasted. The set, filled with nine million tulipsis so detailed, so rich and so inviting, I really felt like I was physically in the land of Oz.

Every actor gives it their all and I feel terrible that I ever doubted Ariana Grande as a performer. Now I think we should give her an Oscar. And we have to give one to Cynthia Erivo too. The entire cast, probably. If their vocal performances pale in comparison to the Broadway performances, I didn’t notice. I was too distracted by how much fun I was having.

I could have watched another hour. Maybe two. And so could my daughter who is now 12 and loved the movie as much as I did.

I wonder if the powers that be should have just gone ahead and added the second hour and change and made this an extra long film with the entire story. Because all the best songs are in the first half. And if my memory serves me from watching the play, all the good story is in the first half as well. By the time my daughter and I finished the Junior Mints, we were ready for things to wrap up and the show dragged on a song or two too long.

“Wicked” is expected to earn more than $100 million just this weekend. So I understand the appeal of splitting the story in two. Why make hundreds of millions of dollars once when you could make as much twice?

I just don’t think there will be much left for the second half and the audience might be disappointed. There may be a riot.

But my expectations were wrong for part 1, so maybe they are wrong for part 2. And I will be happy if in a year I am bewitched and blinded again.

If my expectations aren’t wrong and Part 2 can only be watched for the time it takes to eat a box of Junior Mints, Part 1 will at least stand as an exciting and satisfying cinematic experience. And yes, I will watch it again.

“Wicked: Part 1″ is rated PG for “some frightening action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.”