Not All the Changes Are For Good

Chances are good you already know whether you’re going to see Wicked: For Good. That’s because, at this point, between the long-running Broadway show and the award-winning first film, the Wicked universe has garnered a large, devoted fanbase.

Suffice it to say, For Good arrives with some pretty high expectations and an incessant promotional campaign that has only made the movie more of a must-see for that fanbase. So, yes, maybe a review feels unnecessary.

But here we are anyway, so let’s get to it.

The short version? This second Wicked movie is good. The slightly longer version? It’s good … but not quite as enchanting as the first film.

Picking up soon after the events of Wicked: Part One, For Good is not a sequel, per se. Rather, it’s the continuation of the same story. (It’s act 2 of the Broadway show.) Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is now a fugitive, vilified by the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible’s (Michelle Yeoh) autocratic propaganda machine, and officially branded the Wicked Witch of the West. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) finds herself elevated to the position of Glinda the Good — sparkly wand, flying bubble, and all — becoming a glittering symbol used to contrast the menace that Elphaba supposedly represents.

Caught in the middle is Fiyero (People‘s Sexiest Man Alive, Jonathan Bailey), who is publicly committed to Glinda but privately in love with Elphaba. Meanwhile, Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), has been named Governor, with Boq (Ethan Slater) reluctantly at her side.

Eventually, the Wicked timeline ties directly into the The Wizard of Oz story when a cyclone drops a house on Munchkinland, killing Nessarose, and out come Dorothy (whose face we never see) and Toto. Yes, their journey down the Yellow Brick Road includes the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, though I won’t spoil how they’re each introduced to the story, just in case you don’t already know. (And yes, you may find yourself muttering: “Couldn’t Dorothy have just taken the train?” Blame Glinda, who doesn’t seem to like the farmgirl from Kansas all that much. LOL)

But there’s a bit of plot (and unsubtle political metaphor) to get through before we even get to that point.

In terms of scale, Wicked: For Good is bigger, grander, and more epic than its predecessor, which was already a very big movie. Generally, everything here looks great; the production and costume design by Nathan Crowley and Paul Tazewell, respectively, both remain first-rate, and are captured well by Alice Brooks’ cinematography.

And yet, while director Jon M. Chu knows how to direct a musical well (see In the Heights or, yes, the first Wicked movie), shooting musical numbers effectively and letting the emotion lead the story, here, he just tries to do too much. The framing is busier, and the story occasionally feels overstuffed, peppered with new scenes and additions (including Elphaba’s new solo number, “No Place Like Home,” and any scene with Bowen Yang in it) that could’ve easily been trimmed without losing anything essential.

For the record, this film’s running time is about a half-hour shorter than the first Wicked movie, which was 2 hours and 40 minutes long. (By comparison, the running time for the Broadway show is 2 hours and 45 minutes total.) And yet, it’s For Good that feels like the more bloated movie of the two.

Part of the problem is the source material: Wicked the stage musical is top-heavy, and the second act just isn’t as strong as the first. The songs aren’t as memorable (“No Good Deed” is no “Defying Gravity”), and the story, while more dramatic, is darker and doesn’t engage as easily. Unlike the first film, which built to Elphaba’s big exhale, this film’s momentum is all about propelling us to the bittersweet ending we know is coming. No wonder it feels so long.

That all said, the performances are what keep this emerald ship afloat. Erivo remains utterly captivating; her voice, her presence, and her gravitas all land exactly where they should. “As Long As You’re Mine,” her duet with Bailey, is one of the film’s high points.

But the true star this time out is Grande, who steals the spotlight away from Erivo and launches herself into full-blown movie stardom. Grande’s Glinda is playful, vulnerable, wildly charismatic, and unexpectedly moving. Also, completely adorable. If the first movie was Erivo’s showcase, this one belongs wholeheartedly to Grande. I can’t wait to see her in another film.

Not surprisingly, the standout moment of Wicked: For Good comes toward the end, when the two women perform the title song. It’s a soaring, gorgeous, emotional gut punch — the kind of number that reminds you why musicals matter in the first place, and why this one in particular has endured for more than 22 years. As it has always been, the song is a powerful ode to sisterhood against the odds, and it brings the film’s core relationship to a close beautifully.

So yes, Wicked: For Good has its flaws. It’s a touch long and tries to do a little too much. But it’s also heartfelt, often visually stunning, and ultimately, a satisfying conclusion to a beloved story. Taken together with its predecessor, this two-part saga is a remarkable cinematic achievement that was worth the wait — and is still worthy of all that hype.

I’m giving Wicked: For Good a B.