By Antonio Machado Staff Writer Since the golden age of “Chicago,” “Dreamgirls,” and “Hairspray,” the Broadway adaptation movie musical has become a drastically hated genre of film, and it is not without reason. Though they may seem similar, Broadway and film are vastly different mediums of storytelling, and in adapting one into the other, massive aspects crucial to the narrative can be lost in translation. “Mean Girls,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and the most unfortunate of all, “Cats,” lost the charm that made their stage versions appealing when translated into film. “Wicked,” however, defies gravity and takes the musical genre to new heights. The long-awaited film adaptation of the stage musical “Wicked” has released in theaters after spending nearly 10 years in production hell - and it paid off. The musical reimagines the events of “The Wizard of Oz.” Beginning with a glorious celebration of the Wicked Witch’s melting, Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande-Butera) - formerly Galinda - recounts her days at Shiz University before the Wicked Witch was wicked and, instead, was just her roommate, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). In exploring the beautiful intricacies of the relationship between these two women, the film is unabashedly political, delivering poignant commentary on fascism and otherizing people for looking different - commentary that feels very relevant in the contemporary world. The stage musical has been split into two parts, making the two acts into a movie each. Though it is just the first part of “Wicked,” the film tells a complete and satisfying story. Director Jon M. Chu slows the breakneck pace of the musical to further develop and enhance the plot without ever straying from the yellow brick road by keeping the adaptation faithful to its source material. Though the film is long, sitting at a 160-minute runtime, it is rarely noticeable in the grandiosity of the practical sets. The world of Oz is brought to life at the hands of Chu - “thrillifying” sets provide an immersive experience with everything in the world feeling tangibly, rich with history and every single detail being clearly thought out. Upbeat musical sequences with remarkable choreography and immense ensembles have the dazzling charisma and theatricality from the stage versions beautifully translated to the screen, and they’re only enhanced by the performers, who sang all the music live. Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero is “swankified” and hypnotizingly charming. “Dancing Through Life” is an absolute spectacle. Dancers parkouring within a gyrating bookshelf over Bailey’s magnetic vocals glue your eyes to the screen, but it’s not until Erivo’s Elphaba takes center stage on the dance floor that you can hear the film’s heart beating. Erivo is exceedingly spectacular and altogether quite impossible to describe as Elphaba, bringing nuances to the character incapable of being demonstrated on stage. Erivo has an innate understanding of the character - and it rings true throughout the film as she slowly peels every layer of her terribly misunderstood green skin. As expected of an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony award-winning actress, Erivo knows exactly what tools are at her disposal and when to use them. She traverses the world with her guard up, and when she is finally able to let it go and come into her own, she literally soars. The wide-eyed hopefulness of “The Wizard And I” becomes heartbreaking when considering the foreboding war cry of “Defying Gravity,” and Erivo sells both numbers with an otherworldly vocal. Grande-Butera’s Galinda is a tour de force - an absolute standout in a film studded with stellar performances. Her comedic timing was exemplary, making audiences erupt in laughter at every zinger. Even in moments where Galinda was the mean girl, her unadulterated slapstick comedy made it impossible not to enjoy seeing her on screen. Following “Dancing Through Life” may seem like an insurmountable task, but Grande-Butera’s “Popular” sends it away with a plethora of high kicks. Hair flips and key changes galore, Grande-Butera gives a heartwarmingly hilarious performance that will have audiences exclaiming, “She’s been ‘Best Supporting Actress-ified.’” The self-assured theatricality of “Wicked” serves as a new standard for any and all stage-to-screen adaptations in the future. The film is a marvelous love letter to any and all iterations of Oz that came before it, and it never once loses faith in its music nor its message, and for that I must say, thank goodness. Rating: A+ It’s gonna be “Pop-u-lar”