Wicked

Overview 

Wicked is finally out in theaters and now it’s time to decide if you’re going to the 2D version or upgrading to the 3D experience. With a movie like Wicked, you have everything to look forward to in a 3D event. The movie is based on a stage play, so it was originally meant to be enjoyed in the 3D environment of live actors in front of you. As with most of these offerings, the movie was shot in 2D and later formatted for your 3D viewing pleasure. While some movies suffer from this change, Wicked isn’t one of them. This is one of the few new releases where the extra money for a 3D ticket is more than worth it for you. 

Pros 

Cons 

Review 

A basic overall of the plot is easy to understand without any spoilers. Wicked starts right after the wicked witch is melted, and then goes back to before The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz, of course, is based off the book by L. Frank Baum. He wrote an entire series of books set in the land of Oz, but Wicked isn’t based off any of them. Instead, the play is based on the movie, which was based on the books. Wicked 3D is based on the play that’s based on the movie, that’s based on the books. Get it? Great! Now we can talk about it! 

If you’ve seen the play, then you’re going to need the movie to jump off the screen and that’s exactly what this does. The 3D effects are very well executed, and they take full advantage of the window breaking FXs. That’s when the characters or objects inside the screen break out from the movie’s letterbox. You essentially see them fly off the screen and you won’t have any lack of jumps in your seat. The separation of the actors and the background is great and you’re going to get your money’s worth when you upgrade to the 3D movie experience. 

That’s not to say it’s a flawless execution of the movie. There are some aspects that might leave you wanting more and the planning phase could have used a little more time. There could have been a few slight changes in the way the movie was shot to make it lend itself to the 3D extravaganza that you’re paying for. It’s not going to make you groan in the theater, though. An expensive movie like this must have mass appeal to make it worthwhile for the studio, meaning there had to be some give and take when it came to shooting for general audiences or 3D moviegoers. 

The biggest issue with the movie is the general darkness of the screen. Bright scenes are great, but the shadows are too deep for most people. Of course, part of that depends on the theater itself. If they’re not calibrating their equipment properly, you’re going to miss out on some of the information. For instance, there’s a scene with Elpahba lurking in the shadows and she’s practically lost on the screen. Luckily for this movie, the majority of it is bright and colorful, so it’s not going to be a problem you have to deal with for very long. 

The rest of the grades for Wicked 3D are pretty much straight As. The 3D effects pop and the movie itself is entertaining and fun to watch. In fact, you could even upgrade again and go in for the 4DX showing. You’ll get vibrations and smells to go along with the action and it will be as close to the stage version as you can possibly get. It’s a bright and vibrant movie with the right expertise behind the 3D rendition and it will leave you happy that you shelled out the extra money. 

Memorable 3D scenes 

Rating 

    Overall Movie **** (4/5) 

    3D effects **** (4/5) 

    Plot **** (4/5) 

    Overall **** (4/5) 

Final thoughts 

If you’re looking for a 3D movie that delivers, then Wicked is what you want to see. You can go alone or take the kids. It’s just as entertaining for adults as it is for younger audiences and the songs are going to stay with you for weeks to come. You can see it as someone who’s already enjoyed the play or is completely new to the story. You’ll quickly see why it’s been so popular for so long. Just make sure you stop yourself from singing along with the songs. That’s severely frowned upon for this engagement.