As a fan of the Broadway musical, I felt a mix of excitement and unease when they finally decided to adapt “Wicked” for the big screen.

I have seen the touring production a couple times and am obsessed with the soundtrack, namely “Defying Gravity” and “Popular.” Even though I saw other productions, it was hard for me to imagine anyone but Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in the beloved roles of Galinda and Elphaba.

Luckily, most of the unease I felt was squashed at my screening on Sunday afternoon.

My only big criticism of the film is that it at times felt like Ariana Grande was doing a Chenoweth impression instead of making the Galinda role her own. This isn’t a consistent issue, and I was sold on Grande’s portrayal by the end of the film.

As Elphaba, though, Cynthia Erivo is dazzling from start to finish, with both her acting and incredible vocals.

I will admit some suspension of disbelief does need to happen for the audience to believe that this wonderful cast of actors in their 30s and 40s are college students, but a lot of that went away whenever Jonathan Bailey graced the screen as Prince Fiyero. As someone who is also in her 30s, I want to enroll!

One of the greatest triumphs of this film is also how it evokes old Hollywood, starting with a vintage-style Universal logo at the beginning and a little homage to the immortal classic “The Wizard of Oz,” which “Wicked” is a prequel to.

In this awards season, my two most recent theatrical experiences were “The Brutalist” (review coming soon) and “Wicked,” two films that set out to pay homage to cinematic classics while telling a new story. I may be in the minority when I say this, but “Wicked” is much more successful in this endeavor, and I think that is in large part due to the fantastic direction by Jon M. Chu.

Much like the directors of that bygone old Hollywood era such as George Cukor, Chu has made a name for himself directing what many a studio executive have referred to as “women’s pictures,” or “chick flicks” in more modern terms. He is great at bringing lush spectacles to life, as evidenced by his prior work on films like the romcom “Crazy Rich Asians” and another musical, “In the Heights.”

But back to “Wicked: Part One.” I was a bit skeptical about the decisions to break this story into two parts and make this first part more than two and a half hours long.

Honestly, the time flew by and the story structure worked in a way where the “Part One” story can stand on its own while still setting things up for the second part.

I do recommend seeing the spectacle of “Wicked” on the big screen this holiday season with your loved ones.

Rating: 4/5