Wicked - Part 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Universal
Release Date: February 4, 2025
Rating: PG-13
Film: 3.5/5
 
Plot
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.
 
My Thoughts
My daughter and son-in-law absolutely loved this film and begged us to go see it in theaters, but my wife and I resisted for a few reasons. First, we don’t really enjoy the theater that much (it’s not a good value for our $$) and second, we saw the stage play of Wicked about 20 years ago and didn’t love it, so we weren’t necessarily inspired to see the theatrical version of the story.
 
Alas, the film arrived in 4K and it took us 3 days to get up the energy to pop it in the player to give it a viewing. Off the bat, we really didn’t enjoy the first act at all. Glinda isn’t that likable and while we felt sorry for Elphaba’s plight, it took too long to develop and really dragged in places.
 
Overall, the film does justice to the tale of Elphaba and Glinda, thanks to the heartfelt performances by Erivo and Grande. Their portrayals add a layer of warmth to the characters, making their journey from foes to friends both touching and engaging. The production design bursts with color, creating a world that, although not groundbreaking, is visually pleasant and true to the spirit of Oz. The musical numbers, though they might not capture the live theater's electricity, are still delightful and well-executed.
 
Technically speaking, the A/V quality is exactly what you’d expect from a blockbuster film. The video is pixel perfect with fabulous colors, razor-sharp detail, and zero compression issues. The Atmos track is nearly as impressive with crisp dialog, lively surround activity, and of course, strong LFE.
 
Video 10/10
 
Audio 9.5/10 (Dolby Atmos)
 
 
Special Features:

• Sing Along – Alternate Feature-Length Version
• Deleted/Extended Scenes
• Making Wicked
• Welcome to Shiz
• A Wicked Legacy
• A Wonderful Wizard
• Feature Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu
• Feature Commentary with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
• 4K + Blu-ray + Movies Anywhere Digital Copy

 

 
 
Conclusion
Wicked brings the beloved Broadway musical to the screen with a charm that, while not entirely spellbinding, is certainly enjoyable. Overall, Wicked might not be the cinematic event of the year, but it's a sweet, if somewhat tepid, adaptation that fans of the story will appreciate for its fidelity and newcomers might find surprisingly likable with a fabulous presentation is 4K. Recommended for fans.
 
 
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers

Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

[Paul Heroy]

I saw the stage play years ago (not the Broadway cast, but still a good cast I think) and really enjoyed it. I don't see a lot of stage musicals but when I do, I pretty much invariably enjoy them more than a movie musical.

I've been holding off on seeing it for a couple of reasons: 1) It's Pt 1; 2) It's Pt 1, and extended time for something I'm not sure really needed it. 

But I'll definitely watch it at some point with the Ms. who is a big fan.

[David Vaughn]

I saw the stage play years ago (not the Broadway cast, but still a good cast I think) and really enjoyed it. I don't see a lot of stage musicals but when I do, I pretty much invariably enjoy them more than a movie musical.

I've been holding off on seeing it for a couple of reasons: 1) It's Pt 1; 2) It's Pt 1, and extended time for something I'm not sure really needed it.

But I'll definitely watch it at some point with the Ms. who is a big fan.

More doesn't always mean better...I'm curious if they make the second part under 2 hours. If it's more than that, there I'm afraid there will be way too much bloat. 

[Barry]

David, another great review.  I saw the movie, streamed by Amazon, last night.  My niece had bought it and wanted us to see it.  My opinion of it is the same as yours.

But I saw the streaming version, where the image and colours are a bit muted and the sound is never as good as the disc. But I did not like it enough to buy the disc.

But it did remind me how truely great the original movie is. Look at the most watched movie lists we made. I think it is on all of them

The one thing I didn’t like is that the Good Witch of the North, wasn’t very good.  She was nasty and a bit wicked. The wicked witch of the east was rather nice, but put upon. It didn’t make sense to me. 

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

Nice review Dave!


Regards,

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

Nice review Dave!


Regards,

Thanks Ralph.