Wicked

In short

Wicked runs 2 hours 40 minutes, about twice as long as the other films, so it has more moments of every kind. It keeps coming back to standing up for people who are mocked or mistreated: Elphaba defends her teacher and the caged animals, refuses to be 'fixed' for being green, and will not give in to the Wizard. The two girls' friendship grows from loathing into real loyalty. Against that, there is a lot of mockery of Elphaba's green skin, Galinda's vanity and the 'Popular' message that looks are what count are mostly played for laughs, Elphaba often loses her temper with her magic, and adults (her father, Morrible, the Wizard) put her down, lie and scapegoat animals. Watch for an implied affair in the opening minutes, several frightening scenes (the Wizard's head, the monkeys' painful transformation, the chase, the mob shouting 'Kill her!') and teen crushes.

All 15 values

Moments to check (13)

Lines that might mean more than the words say. Watch these bits yourself.

• 00:06:47Have another drink... follow me downhighMother's affair shown through sounds and a seduction song; 'one thing led to another' implies conception
• 00:02:38Good news, she's deadmediumCrowd celebrates a death; the film means it ironically, but young children may take it straight
• 00:33:44Roommates do these things for each othermediumSarcasm – the 'space' she saved is a tiny drawer
• 01:01:02I love helping othersmediumSarcasm – Galinda set Boq up with Nessa to get rid of him
• 01:04:44Out of the goodness of my hearthighThe 'kind' gift is a trick to humiliate Elphaba
• 01:12:46It's not like it's your faultmediumIrony – it is her fault; she then makes amends
• 01:17:27No, please, give that backmediumGalinda keeps pushing after a clear no
• 01:19:55I'm gonna call you thatlowNickname pushed after 'I don't really...' – affectionate but ignores a no
• 01:23:28Did they have brains or knowledge?... PopularmediumSatire: popularity beats knowledge; children may miss the irony
• 01:30:31He's just happy to be herelowLie/sarcasm about a trembling caged cub
• 01:45:15Such braverismlowShowy name change praised as brave – satire of fake virtue
• 01:52:42Has all of Oz honeymooninglowPossible mild double meaning
• 02:18:24It's the Wizard who should be afraid of melowCould read as a revenge threat rather than defiance