'Wicked: Part 1′ earns its lengthy runtime

The run time for “Wicked: Part 1″ is 2 hours and 40 minutes. And, you wouldn’t know it from the marketing, but that’s only the first half of the story of Elphaba and Glinda and their respective journeys to becoming the good and wicked witches of “The Wizard of Oz.”

It’s only in recent days that I’ve heard the movie referred to with its full title including “Part 1.” I think the studio executives must have realized they would be facing an audience revolt if viewers went into the movie expecting to see the full plot arc and only got half.

There is precedence for that rage. I’ll never forget getting to the end of “The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” and realizing that I’d have to wait two more movies, and two more years, for a satisfying conclusion. In the theater, I yelled, “What do you mean?” at my friend who had read the books and had to patiently explain to me how trilogies work.

Before seeing “Wicked: Part 1,″ which opened today, I wondered if the movie producers might still have an audience revolt on their hands even with the “Part 1″ made very clear because 2 hours and 40 minutes is an awfully long time for one half of a story.

When my oldest daughter turned 11, I took her to see “Wicked” on Broadway. The full runtime was 2 hours and 45 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission during which we paid roughly a million dollars for a water bottle and box of Junior Mints. We both loved the show and were swept up in the magic of live theater but agreed a good 20 to 40 minutes could be shaved from the show. Not all of the songs were bops, and not all were necessary.

So I went into “Wicked: Part 1″ curious to see if and how the movie earned its length, given that the Broadway show clocked in just five minutes over one half of the movie and still had some fat to cut. I was skeptical that it would earn that runtime. And I was expecting to get a little bored, like I had in the play.

But my goodness: “Wicked: Part 1″ charmed me. I wasn’t bored for a single second.

Even the sleeper songs were so visually engaging that I didn’t mind a few melancholy melodies here and there. I should have known that the film was in more than capable hands with John M. Chu, who made “Crazy Rich Asians,” which is the only movie I’ve ever finished and then immediately said, “I want to watch it again,” because it was such a blast to watch the first time.

It appears that not a penny of the $145 million budget was wasted. The set, replete with nine million tulips, is so detailed, so rich and so inviting, I truly felt as though I was physically in the land of Oz.

Every actor gives their all and I feel terrible for ever doubting Ariana Grande as a performer. Now I think we need to give her an Oscar. And we need to give one to Cynthia Erivo, as well. The whole cast, probably. If their vocal performances pale in comparison to the Broadway performances, I didn’t notice. I was too distracted by how much fun I was having.

I could have watched another hour. Maybe two. And so could my daughter, who is now 12, and loved the film just as much as I did.

I wonder if the powers that be should have just gone ahead and added that other hour and change and made this an extra long film with the full story. Because all the best songs are in the first half. And, if my memory serves from seeing the play, all the good story is in the first half, too. Once my daughter and I had finished the Junior Mints, we were ready for things to wrap up, and the show dragged a song or two too long.

“Wicked” is projected to earn more than $100 million just this weekend. So I understand the appeal of breaking the story into two. Why earn hundreds of millions of dollars once, when you could make that much twice?

I just don’t think there will be much left for the second half, and audiences might be disappointed. There might be a revolt.

But my expectations were wrong for Part 1, so maybe they are wrong for Part 2. And I’ll be delighted if in a year I’m bewitched and dazzled again.

If my expectations are not wrong and Part 2 is only watchable for the time it takes to eat a box of Junior Mints, at least Part 1 will stand as a thrilling and satisfying cinematic experience. And yes, I want to watch it again.

“Wicked: Part 1″ is rated PG for “some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.”