'Wicked: For Good': An Underwhelming, but Still Entertaining Movie Musical

PHOTO: Universal Pictures

On November 20, 2024, I went into a screening of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked with a mix of excitement and skepticism. As a fan of the original musical, I was looking forward to seeing a big-screen version of it, but I was also worried that it might be a major disappointment. While I have some small issues with that film, it exceeded my expectations and is a pretty solid movie musical. Critics and audiences also enjoyed it, as it became a major hit and a cultural phenomenon, much like the Broadway show it is based on. With Wicked being an adaptation of Act 1 of the show, it has led to a great deal of hype and anticipation for the second part of the story. After a year-long intermission, the time has finally come for audiences to experience Act 2, now titled Wicked: For Good.

As anyone who knows a thing or two about musical theatre can tell you, Act 2 of the stage version of Wicked isn’t nearly as strong as the first one. Most of the best songs are in the first act, and the writing is stronger by comparison. This is one of the main reasons that dividing the show in half for the film version made me scratch my head a little, as it feels like it is setting audiences up for disappointment, especially those unfamiliar with the source material. Knowing this, I went into Wicked: For Good with measured expectations. While Wicked was better than I expected, For Good was pretty much exactly what I assumed it would be. It carries over some of the issues I had with the first film, now with the added issues from Act 2 of the stage show. It stretches things out a great deal, yet feels rushed and undercooked in places. However, I can’t deny that it is still quite entertaining and delightful, even if it pales in comparison to its predecessor. 

Some time after the events of the first film, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is hiding out in the forest, but continues to fight for the rights of animals in Oz. Now known as The Wicked Witch of the West thanks to the propaganda spouted by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the people of Oz have turned against her. Glinda (Ariana Grande), now known as Glinda the Good, has become the spokesperson for The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and becomes engaged to Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Meanwhile, an angry mob begins to rise up in hopes of taking Elphaba down, presenting her with new challenges in her fight to unmask The Wizard as a fraud. As she and Glinda wrestle with the new identities they’ve been given, their friendship is tested, but they soon find that they must work together if they want to save Oz for good. 

When it was first announced that Wicked was being split into two parts, I didn’t think it was necessary at all. It just felt like an obvious cash grab and felt like it would do a disservice to the overall story being told. Now that I’ve seen both parts, I find myself understanding why this choice was made a little better. If Wicked was just one film, it runs the risk of having to jettison certain details and numbers that might negatively affect its quality. By having the story told in two films, it gives it more breathing room and makes sure that everything is included, albeit with some tweaks here and there. 

However, this also means that both films had to add and expand on certain things in order to make both acts of the show feature length. The first part is a bit more successful on this front, but still feels stretched out in places. As for For Good, you can definitely feel Chu and screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox trying to squeeze everything they can out of the second act, and try to add new things to pad out the runtime. To their credit, some of the things they add are pretty inspired, further underlining the film’s themes of propaganda, racism, and justice. On the other hand, there simply isn’t as much to mine from Act 2 compared to Act 1 and this shows in the final cut. The characters are pretty fixed and don’t have much more development to do, and the stakes just don’t feel as high when viewing the film on its own. I don’t think this is the fault of anyone involved, but merely the nature of adapting each act of the original show separately. It still works okay, but the storytelling as a whole is a step down from the first film.

Thankfully, the musical numbers are still up to snuff, even if the songs themself aren’t nearly as strong as those from the first film. The two new songs written specifically for this film are definitely on the weaker end of things, but the rest aren’t half bad. Considering that it is the title number and one of the most beloved duets in modern musical theatre, “For Good” had a lot to live up to. This number is relatively simple, focusing more on Elphaba and Glinda as they pour their hearts out to each other. It is an incredibly sweet moment, largely due to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s performances. I also enjoyed the film’s take on the love ballad “As Long As You’re Mine”. It is more cinematic than I was expecting, adding some interesting details into the dynamic between Elphaba and Fiyero and utilizing blocking in an unexpected, yet effective way. The best number in my opinion has to be “No Good Deed”, which Erivo knocks completely out of the park. She has such power and emotion in her voice that cut through me like a knife, and the way that the scene is shot and edited is quite impactful. It is easily my favorite moment of the whole film and certainly the one that affected me the most. 

If nothing else, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are once again excellent here. Since they are apart from each other for long stretches of the film, we get plenty of time with them individually and we get to know their characters a little better. Erivo is such a consummate performer, and solidifies herself as one of the best to ever play Elphaba. Every step of the way she is assured and dialed into the world of Oz, and fully understands the heart of the character. It is a powerful turn and is easily among her finest work to date. I would argue that Grande improves upon her performance from the first film, as Glinda’s arc gives her a lot to sink her teeth into this go-round. The first film showed that she is quite good when it comes to comedy, but this film showcases her dramatic chops exceptionally. I was quite impressed by how well she handles the nuances of the character, and she definitely emerges as an awards frontrunner with her performance. Erivo and Grande are great on their own, but they are simply magical together, as their chemistry is strong and beautifully realized. Together they are the heart and soul of the film and are a major factor in its success.

Wicked: For Good definitely suffers from the same second act problems that the Broadway show has, and these are only magnified by the fact that the entire film is the second act of the stage show. This will likely not sit well with those unfamiliar with the show, but might be a bit easier to swallow for those who are. Yes, it is a step down from the first film, but it is still quite entertaining and touching nonetheless. Perhaps it becomes enhanced when viewed with the first film, but it does feel a bit stretched out and thin on its own. It still offers some decent spectacle and heartwarming moments, but it definitely isn’t as good as the first film. Fans of the Broadway show will likely be able to forgive some of its flaws, but newcomers and skeptics will probably be disappointed. It may not fully capture the magic from the first film, but it at least makes the best of what it has and still has plenty of enchanting moments.

Rating: 3/5