It's possible my resistance to buzz is influencing this, but I wasn't particularly impressed by this film. Being a prequel to "Wizard of Oz" inherently put it at a disadvantage, as its plot was somewhat predetermined. The story follows “Elphaba” (Cynthia Erivo) who has been forced to leave “Oz,” leaving her friend “Galinda” (Ariana Grande-Butera) to play the role of the well-behaved one for the wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his sinister sorceress, “Madame Morrible” (Michelle Yeoh). “Elphie” is driven to show everyone that their leader is a phony, but given that the local people seem perfectly happy with how things are run, she’s facing an uphill battle. In fact, the more she tries to reveal his deception, the less liked and more feared she becomes. Meanwhile, "Galinda" is preparing to marry “Fiyero” (Jonathan Bailey), the handsome captain of the guards—though neither he nor I know that his heart belongs to someone else, who is quite jealous! With animals fleeing as if it were a disaster in “Narnia,” the yellow brick road serving more as a pathway to oppression than freedom, and menacing flying monkeys enforcing the wizard’s authority – what hope does our spirited outsider have of saving the day and winning her love? The visuals are excellent, but everything else felt rather ordinary. It takes nearly two hours for a truly memorable song like “No Good Deed” or “For Good” to emerge; otherwise, we're treated to some uninspired dance routines accompanied by music that isn’t among Stephen Schwartz’s best work. The film seems to have half a dozen attempts at an ending, stretching out the process for about twenty minutes, which felt like padding. Erivo and Grande-Butera both possess strong voices and, unlike many singers who focus on vocal acrobatics, they perform with genuine feeling. Bailey provides some visual appeal, and Goldblum manages to steal the spotlight during “Wonderful.” There are certainly a few positive aspects, but I might just be desensitized to a narrative that I found rather weak and drawn out. It’s enjoyable on a large screen, and perhaps there are subtle messages about contemporary (American) politics and the importance of friendship and loyalty, but it didn't really resonate with me.

Source on TMDB