Apparently, Wicked’s muted colors make it more like our desaturated reality

Evil struck a chord with moviegoers (or should we say “Glicked” – no, we shouldn’t) and, despite gravity, grossed an estimated $114 million domestically. That’s enough money to squash any criticism that the film looks pretty dull, a problem shared by The AV Club. Critic Jesse Hassenger noted in his review that the film’s color grading was among the film’s biggest problems. “Dark contrast, washed-out pinks and greens, and a general white-hazy, cloudy look that makes the images clear but completely muted,” writes Hassenger. “Most (Evil) still looks like the Marvel movies filmed in parking lots in Georgia.” Hassenger wasn’t the only viewer who was disappointed Evil weaken The Wizard of Oz Technicolor mutiny. That was enough of a complaint The Daily Globe and Mail said director Jon M. Chu that the film was “a little desaturated.” Apparently that’s the point, because color doesn’t exist in reality.

Although Chu insists that “there’s color everywhere,” he claims he wants to “immerse people in Oz” and “make it a real place.” A “false location” as colorful as Oz would prevent audiences from believing the film’s connections and interests, a problem that moviegoers have had with the 1939 original for nearly a century. Chu believes this will allow viewers to experience Oz differently than ever before. “(Oz) was a dull painting. It was a digital video game world. But for us, I want to feel the dirt. I want to feel its wear and tear. And that means it’s not plastic.” And “non-plastic” means dulled, like reality in which there are no bright colors, because that would trigger everyone’s latent, dormant psychosis.

“We have the environment,” Chu added in his defense. “The sun is the main source of light. You see the vast landscapes. You see the air. You see, creatures exist here. For these two characters, who will go through two films, their relationship to the land is important; their relationship to the nature of this land, which the wizard imposed on himself. The (color) contrast increases over time because that’s what Elphaba brings into this world.”

If we follow correctly, even more so Evil The more films Elphaba takes part in, the more colorful they become. Until then, somewhere behind the rainbow, the mythical film critic Roy G. Biv is waiting, his fingers ready to give Evil 2 Five stars on Letterboxd, where he raves: “This film lives up to my name!”