Ema Sasic

By Ema Sasic

Adapting the second act of “Wicked” was always going to be a challenge for director Jon M. Chu. While the first act is filled with hit songs, a bubbly atmosphere and plenty of laughs, as evidenced by his 2024 retelling, act two trades most of that for a darker and more emotional tone with high stakes. Most will prefer for former film adaptation, but “Wicked: For Good” shines in its own ways. It gives leading ladies Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande the space to showcase the more emotional sides of their respective characters and take viewers on a touching journey through the end. They’re the high points of a film that has a few missteps along the yellow brick road.

Picking up a few years after “Wicked,” much has changed in the land of Oz. Elphaba (Erivo) has been ostracized from society and has a target on her back, and an army of flying monkeys after her, whenever she flies by this magical world. The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Shiz University headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) have named her the Wicked Witch of the West and made Ozians believe Elphaba is terrorizing them. In reality, she wants to put a stop to the Wizard, who she learned has no real powers, and bring justice to cruelly treated animals. Meanwhile, Galinda (Grande), now known as Glinda the Good, is a public figure who brings hope and happiness to her fellow Ozians and is being watched over by the Wizard and Madame Morrible. She loves all the attention she’s receiving from her fans, but she’s conflicted over the way Elphaba has been portrayed as an evil witch and her mentors’ motives.

If Grande impressed viewers with her bubbly and infectious portrayal of Galinda in the first film, her mature take in “For Good” will surely move them. Galinda couldn’t be happier as a celebrity in Oz who is beloved by everyone as she floats through town in a charming flying bubble machine and brings smiles wherever she goes. But there are cracks in her magical life. It weighs heavy on her that everything is all just for show and that the citizens of Oz are being played by the Wizard, Madame Morrible and herself. Not to mention, she doesn’t know how to help Elphaba, and if she should given the negativity and public outcry it would cause. Grande strikes a perfect balance between these two worlds, especially in the “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier” musical number, where she wears her broken heart on her sleeve while putting on a happy front for everyone around her. Each time Chu and cinematographer Alice Brooks focus on her expressive eyes, we see an ocean of hurt she’s carrying within her.

Though Erivo’s Elphaba doesn’t get quite as big of an arc in this film as the first, she continues to dominate as the fierce persona non grata. It’s a treat to see her come into her powers and loom over Oz on her broom, never backing down from bringing justice to the animals and exposing the Wizard. The “No Good Deed” sequence is a showcase for Erivo, who not only continues to excel in her vocal craft, but also becomes reinvigorated as Elphaba. But it’ll come as no surprise that Erivo and Grande truly shine when they come together and show the love they have for each other and their characters (except in one moment, which I’ll get to later). We get a snippet of that joy in “Wonderful” as the Wizard and Galinda try to get Elphaba to come on their side, but “For Good” is on a whole other level. Get the tissues ready as these two performers put their own spin on the touching song about the beauty of friendship and growth. You feel the full emotional weight of the film’s narrative, as well as the pink and green journey that the Oscar nominated actresses have gone on together. As an added bonus, Chu ends the film on a loving image of these two that any “Wicked” fan will recognize even as they struggle to see past their tears.

Unlike these solid performers, other aspects of the film are a bit clumsy. Once again, the cinematography has the same muted/grey color issue as the first film. They get away with it a bit more in “For Good,” especially as this is inherently a darker story, but many Oz settings needed more vibrant colors. However, many of the crafts are firing on all cylinders again. Paul Tazewell does it again with his beautiful costume designs, especially with the detailing found in Galinda’s extravagant ballgowns and Elphaba’s dramatic robe. Nathan Crowley’s production design is also grand as we revisit old sets and see his spin on new magical settings.

Something that is sure to get people talking is how Chu incorporates key moments from “The Wizard of Oz” in his film. We see Dorothy’s Kansas home crash down in Oz, watch her (only from the back) set off on the yellow brick road, band together with her iconic team (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion) and meet the Wizard. Chu makes the right decision in not doing a whole remake of “Oz,” which would have been a huge disservice, and instead only shows a few snippets of that grand journey. It’s a complex puzzle piece for him to arrange, and while some may find these moments awkwardly placed in the film, I mostly didn’t mind their inclusion. It’s fun to know that while that story is playing out, so much more drama is happening behind the scenes in Oz. However, one moment that felt entirely unnecessary was a literal fight between Elphaba and Galinda. It plays so awkwardly and childishly and goes against pretty much everything we know about these characters. Two pivotal sequences with Nessarose (Marissa Bode), one in her office and one in Munchkinland, also feel rushed and don’t have quite the emotional weight they deserve.

While there are a few awkward moments here and there, “Wicked: For Good” has its strengths as Chu moves the story in a mature direction. With Erivo and Grande leading the charge, fans will be moved by their beautiful portrayals of two friends finding their way back to each other despite so much against them. Over the course of two films, viewers have seen these actresses settle into their characters and become a vital part of the story of Oz, but they truly deliver magic in this somber and touching finale. Clocking in at five hours, “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” will give fans plenty of enchanting moments to relive time and time again, and thank goodness for that.

Rating: 3.5/5