When it was first announced that Jon M. Chu would be adapting the blockbuster Broadway musical Wicked for screen, there were doubts. Those doubts were further intensified when it was announced that the adaptation would be released as two films, but once Wicked arrived last November, most of those doubts were erased as the film defied expectations. However, there were a few doubts that lingered with the second installment of the film yet to come and now that Wicked: For Good is here, it’s clear that those doubts weren’t entirely unfounded as the second half lacks the magic of the first.
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Going into things, Wicked: For Good already had some challenges. Even on stage, Act II of Wicked is the weaker of the two parts of the story. A lot of things happen, time is accelerated, and perhaps infamously, the second act doesn’t have quite the same caliber of songs. These are all issues that Chu seems to be acutely aware of and puts forth his best effort at addressing, but in fixing some things, the flaws of others are more noticeable and the result is a good enough film that would have strongly benefitted from being played with the first movie, not as its own story.
Rating: 3 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Ariana Grande is perfection as Glinda. | Poor pacing |
| The original songs are impressive. | Sharp tonal shift from first movie |
| Shouldn’t be a separate film from the first |
A Sharp Tonal Shift (And Pacing Issues) Steal Part of Wicked: For Good’s Magic
Wicked: For Good starts off a little shaky and never fully regains stability thanks to a time jump. While the movie feels very much like we’re picking up where we left off at the end of Wicked, it soon becomes apparent that more time than you’d guess has passed and with it, a lot of changes. the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his right-hand Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) have worked their own dark magic to fully brainwash the people of Oz that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is truly a “wicked witch” and they’ve used Glinda, now framed as Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) as their mouthpiece. Things are far bleaker in this Oz and the movie goes out of its way to try to make that clear off the top. All of the joy has been drained from the characters and the story to the point that some of the inner turmoil Glinda and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) are feeling comes across as forced and manufactured.
This grim shift is, in some respects necessary as Elphaba’s actions in the first film put her past the point of return when it comes to the Wizard and Oz, but it’s exacerbated by pacing. Even with Wicked: For Good having more time to tell the back half of the story than the stage production does, there is still a lot of things to pack into the story and that’s where things start to feel off. Because the narrative of The Wizard of Oz is a part of Wicked’s overall story, those events have to be wedged in as part of Elphaba’s story and it’s done through some slightly clunky shots inserted here and there to show Dorothy’s arrival and how she is used as a tool by Morrible and the Wizard to achieve their aims but that isn’t even the most challenging issue with the pacing and structure. It’s the transitions that interrupt the flow. While the first movie made its transitions from scene to scene and setting to setting feel expansive and cinematic, Wicked: For Good is much choppier. It feels more like pushing various sets around a stage production than something on the big screen — and it’s particularly noticeable in the transition from an intimate moment between Elphaba and Fiyero that goes right back to the plotting taking place in the Emerald City. Even the ending, which is rushed and feels almost like the filmmaker is trying to hurry you along just to be done, suffers from some odd transitions.
Cynthia Erivo Is Great, But Wicked: For Good Belongs to Ariana Grande
While there are some structural issues with Wicked: For Good, what it does right is phenomenal — and much of that falls on Ariana Grande. While Grande’s role of Glinda was largely one-dimensional in the first film, the second film sees her fully evolve and absolutely own the role. Grande brings complexity and nuance to Glinda who is stuck in a place of being a pawn while also starting to truly face some of her own truths and demons. We get to see a full range of emotions and growth with Glinda in this second half and Grande does it so perfectly you would be forgiven for thinking she was a real-life Glinda. In particular the new song “The Girl in the Bubble” is an incredible added element to the story and not only features Grande’s incredible vocals on an entirely new level, but her acting performance is Oscar-worthy.
That isn’t to say that Erivo is any less phenomenal in this film. She continues to be a powerhouse — she also gets an original song with “No Place Like Home” which will completely change how you see Dorothy Gale’s iconic mantra forever — and there are some incredible moments where we see Elphaba’s own evolution brought to life in a raw, deeply human way that only Erivo could accomplish. But this second half is more Glinda’s story than Elphaba’s, and Grande steals every scene she’s in, even those with Erivo.
Wicked: For Good Would Benefit From Being Shown With Wicked, Not By Itself
The biggest thing about Wicked: For Good for all its tone and pacing issues that aren’t cured by phenomenal performances is that it never really feels like its own movie. It’s obvious from the first minutes of the film that it is a second part and, with Wicked having been released a year ago, the space between the two halves is very noticeable. Because Wicked: For Good was already based on the weaker of the two acts of the musical, it really needs the momentum of Wicked to carry it. Without it, the story feels flat. Pairing Wicked and Wicked: For Good as one movie with a classic intermission would have certainly made for a very long theatrical experience, but it’s one that would have greatly improved the overall experience. It’s a missed opportunity to enhance both movies, but especially Wicked: For Good.
Ultimately, Wicked: For Good isn’t a bad movie or even a bad adaptation of a musical. It’s visually stunning, the performances are gorgeous, the music is great, and Grande has never been as good as she is in this role or this film. But the movie doesn’t manage to overcome the same challenges that the second act of the musical faced and finds many of the challenges exacerbated by its runtime, poor pacing, and a large gap in time from the critical first half. While fans of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz more broadly will likely be enchanted by the film, Wicked: For Good lacks the magic of part one. It’s better than simply “okay”, but it’s certainly not great.
Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on Friday, November 21st.
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