A year ago, I reviewed “Wicked,” part one of Broadway’s “Wicked the Musical” movie version.
Part one blew me away with its stunning visuals, story, and music, touching both my heart and mind.
“Wicked for Good,” however, did not hit with the same strength.
“Wicked for Good” explores the aftermath of Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, being deemed Wicked Witch of the West, and trying to start a revolution against the Wizard of Oz, played by Jeff Goldblum.
Glinda the Good, played by Ariana Grande, reprises her role from the original movie as the representation of “good” against the witch’s “threats” against Oz, puppeteered by Madame Morrible’s propaganda.
Attempting to expose the wizard’s lies, Elphaba fights for the freedom of the animals and unity in Oz while Glinda lives a fairy-tale life, ignoring the truths she knows for the sake of her popularity and image.
While Elphaba aims to bring true “good” back to Oz, Glinda struggles with choosing the image of “good” presented by Madame Morrible and the Wizard’s lies that allow her to achieve her dreams or pursuing the “good” of Oz that she sees taint the image of her best friend and its people.
Other characters, such as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose and Prince Fiyero also struggle with their new roles as governor of Munchkin Land and captain of the Wizard’s guard, respectively. Both characters follow different paths in pursuing their lovers and fall victim to the danger that comes with being entangled with the “wicked witch.”
Overall, the visuals, set, and acting in “Wicked for Good” are spectacular.
Elpahaba captures hearts with every scene and her passion and struggle with her public image versus her love for Oz can be felt through the screen.
Meanwhile, Glinda’s portrayal is also strong, specifically including moments when the two reunite throughout the two-hour film.
However, the songs were much weaker than in the previous movie, in my opinion, and characters, including the two main villains, felt sidelined to the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba.
Plots, such as the ones around Nessarose and Fiyero, also felt shortened and rushed. While portrayed well, their chapters and roles felt closed too soon. The “defeat” of the villains also felt lacking, leaving many questions after I walked out of the theater.
Due to these reasons, and in comparison to my perfect rating of the first part, I rate “Wicked for Good” as eight out of ten.
It offers stunning visuals, compelling characters, and an interesting story; however, it falls short at certain plot points and during songs, ultimately not providing the impact I felt the initial film delivered.