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Wicked: For Good Review

Wicked: For Good picks up the darker, deeper themes laid down by 2024’s “Wicked” while connecting to the original Wizard of Oz material more overtly. The film even opens with the construction of the iconic yellow brick road, which Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) disrupts by freeing the animals being used to lay the path. The Wicked Witch of the West has now been outcast and forced to live in solitude in a treehouse while she plans to expose the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) as a fraud and free the animals who see their freedom threatened by his reign. Meanwhile Glinda (Ariana Grande), continues to cosy up to the Wizard as her popularity as “Glinda the Good” grows.

Jonathan Bailey returns as Fiyero, now engaged to be married to Glinda, torn between his duties as Captain of the Gale Force - the team tasked with capturing the wicked Witch of the West - and his moral obligation to stand up for Elphaba. Michelle Yeoh, as Madame Morrible, continues to do the Wizard’s dirty work by pedalling propaganda both against Elphaba as a force of evil and for Glinda as her antithesis.


One of the many strengths of the first movie was the performances of its two lead actors and Wicked: For Good once again showcases the talents of Erivo and Grande. Wicked had Elphaba and Glinda go from strangers to enemies to friends to frenemies. Its sequel has the characters separated for long parts of the movie as they find more space to shine in their own individual arcs.


Wicked was also recognised for its brilliant set and costume design which, yet again, truly immerses us in the magic and wonder of the land of Oz. One component that fails to live up to previous standards is the songs. Even with a couple of new songs written for the movie, none hold a candle to “Defying Gravity” (but then again, few do).


Likewise, the first film spent time laying the groundwork with themes of propaganda, equality and discrimination while the second seems to do little in the way of adding anything to this conversation. Instead Wicked: For Good feels like a 140 minute long conclusion. If 140 minutes seems long for a conclusion - that’s because it is. The film feels padded out by the additional songs and could have been a lot more efficient in its story telling rather than concerning itself too much with fan service.


Director, Jon M. Chu has said that he views the two films as one movie which inevitably had to be split into two to accommodate the complex story. Unfortunately this has resulted one brilliant film and another that has the difficult task of following after and tying up the narrative threads.


Although Wicked for Good fails to reach the heights of its predecessor, that shouldn’t be held against it. The first instalment was a triumph and a great achievement in its own right; the second has its bright spots, but seems to be a conclusion to the story that came before it rather than a significant standalone piece. 


★★★

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