A year ago, Wicked emerged from the shadows of its source material as a monumental cinematic performance. Though originally garnering flak for adapting the musical into two separate films, the decision ultimately paid off as Elphaba flew into the sunset with Defying Gravity, calling the curtains on a thunderously successful first act. The year-long intermission only served to steep audiences’ excitement, and on its first anniversary, the show has finally resumed.
The anticipation for this return was laced with apprehension. With its graver tone and less popular songs, Act II of the original musical has long been criticized as the weaker, worser-paced half of the narrative. As such, many fans feared how the movie would rise to these challenges. However, Wicked: For Good proves once more that odds are always meant to be defied. The film does a truly wonderful job of conveying the magic and strife of Oz and more, with almost all its stylistic changes for the better.
Newfound magic in Oz
Reviving feelings not so sudden or new, Wicked: For Good pulls us deeper into both the separate and shared journeys of Glinda and Elphaba.
Glinda’s bubble expands through glimpses of her younger self, revealing the quiet burdens brewing beneath her beautiful life. These are the moments that give her real agency, showing that not every dream is as true as it seems. By exposing the cracks in her sparkle, Glinda matures into a more grounded version of herself—a shift that deepens her arc, especially as the story intensifies.
Continuing this thread of whimsical glamors and sobering realities, the film interlaces the co-existence of hope and heartbreak. Relationships grow even as the world falls apart around them, allowing characters to find love and loyalty precisely when it is risky to hold on to either. The tenderness of each scene weighs heavily against each tick of the Time Dragon’s clock.
It is amid this chaos that Elphaba and Fiyero discover something worth fighting for. Despite her exile and his duties to the land, they carve their own path beyond the yellow brick road. As they confront life-changing, impossible choices, their sacrifices reveal what truly matters when the world forces you to decide where your goodness lies.
These decisions echo throughout the story, steering Glinda and Elphaba toward the destinies that reshape Oz. Ultimately, it is the magic of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s artistry that breathes life into this journey, their soul and dedication spilling into every scene. From Ariana’s melodic flourishes to the sweeping brilliance of the weeping witches’ improvised door scene, and to their final whispered words of “I love you,” Grande and Erivo completely disappear into their roles.
Costs and things lost
Though most of the adaptation’s additions were truly for the better, there are some aspects the film could have gone without.
The second act truly put the casting’s strength to the test. The nuance and prowess each actor brought to their roles were happily welcomed, but as a famed musical adaptation, musicality took center stage. While Michelle Yeoh portrayed a vicious Madame Morrible, her lack of proper vocal training ultimately weakened the narrative impact of her song numbers. While audiences may have been willing to overlook this during Act I, the shortfall was glaringly obvious in Act II, where Madame Morrible took more of the vocal spotlight.
For Good also introduced two new solo songs for Elphaba and Glinda: No Place Like Home and Girl in the Bubble, respectively, written and composed by Stephen Schwartz himself. Compared to the other original scenes, which built a more fulfilling narrative, these were not as crucial to the act’s outcome. While their purposes were reasonable—Elphaba grappling with why she would save a world that shuns her, and Glinda reflecting on the illusory life she’s created—they weren’t as smoothly integrated nor executed, and much to be desired for a seamless watch.
Thankfully, the film heeded the criticism from Act I, refining its color grading to deliver a richer, more whimsical palette, reminiscent of the classic Technicolor of old Hollywood. Unfortunately, it still suffered from some abrupt cuts and stilted timing, though that may fall to the fault of the infamously-paced source material. Still, no good deed goes unpunished, and the profound effort to cover the pitfalls of Wicked‘s Act II did not go unnoticed by long-time fans of the franchise.
Where roads always lead
Leading up to the film’s ending, it became clear that this adaptation had done something wickedly brilliant. Where Wicked proved that the ensemble could honor the Broadway musical’s grandeur, Wicked: For Good only showed that they could further defy it.
By wholeheartedly welcoming novel infusions and allowing the tale to breathe anew, Wicked: For Good has successfully shifted the world’s once-emerald-tinted lenses into the tender heart of its two witches. Through the creative liberties taken by the movie’s crew, Elphaba and Glinda’s journey is meaningfully intertwined with the world around them.
At this fateful crossing lies the wistful duet For Good, the film’s emotional centerpiece. The number transforms from a simple farewell into a profound reflection of their shared sacrifices and unspoken love for one another, unfolding with the solemn finality akin to a spell from the Grimmerie itself, marking the moment from which neither could ever turn back.
As the final frame settles, the bittersweet chronicles of the two witches are no longer confined to the stage. They ripple through the screens of many, now inviting audiences to experience all the wonders and wounds that Oz has to offer. And this, perhaps, is the reason why this adaptation feels so monumental. After a year of waiting, those who returned are treated to more than a story retold. As Wicked: For Good teaches a universal lesson on choice, consequence, and the cost of living in a world that is determined to pull one apart, the film proves that even the most forsaken can emerge changed for the better.
More than any iteration before it, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good stands as a love letter to the world of Oz and to all who hold it dear. As the adaptation etches its mark on our hearts, we are reminded that magic, loss, and love not only coexist in real life but entangle to form the delightfully human and Wicked experience. Most importantly, the film proves that even the wicked deserve to be mourned, their echoes lingering in Oz—and in us—long after the final note.
Score: 4.0/4.0
