Directed by Jon M. Chu
Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Ben Hardy, and Patrick Wilson
The Navigator’s Rating – 4/5
The second and final screen adaptation of the original Broadway musical Wicked brings the timeless tale of The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good to a close. In 2024, the first installment Wicked had a debut box office of $162.5 million worldwide. At the time, it was the biggest domestic opening weekend for a Broadway screen adaptation, only surpassed by Wicked: For Good.
Wicked: For Good holds some of the most versatile and emotional ballads of the entire musical. Notably, the title track “For Good”, the epicenter of the entire story, is an eloquent reminder that we truly are shaped by those we love. “No Good Deed”, the emotional break of Elphaba, captures Erivo’s dynamic vocal ability to its fullest extent. Meanwhile, tracks like “Thank Goodness” and “I’m not that girl” convey the emotions that Glinda faces while balancing the loss of Elphaba and Fiyero, as she cracks underneath the pressure and expectations of the citizens of Oz. There are two brand new songs made exclusively for the film, “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl In The Bubble”, featuring solos by Elphaba and Glinda. They are meant to add something new to the storyline but fall far short of the original music. However, the political commentary in “No Place Like Home” really centers on Elphaba’s difficult relationship with Oz, and the idea of being principled and fighting for what you believe in, a main theme of the film. Overall, the vocal and acting performances within the music of the film were exceptional.
It goes without saying that the cast of “Wicked: For Good” has many stars, such as Grammy winner Ariana Grande, Tony winner Cynthia Erivo, Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey, and Oscar nominee Jeff Goldblum. While all of these actors are the best of the best and many give their full star-studded performances, some could not fully represent their role. One evident example is Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good. Grande delivered the role of Glinda with extremely infectious charm and emotional depth, providing strong moments of reflection, but also allowing the lighthearted nature of the character to shine, truly showing her capability as a serious actress. On the other hand, Michelle Yeoh, who portrayed the role of Madame Morrible, who is the main antagonist, a strongly voiced and major character, wasn’t exhibited as thoroughly as she should’ve been. Her overall performance felt less impactful or low effort compared to the rest of the cast. They could’ve benefited from getting a more experienced vocalist for the role.
The visual aspects of Wicked: For Good are stunning – from the 9 million tulips planted for the fictional village “Munchkinland” to the giant mechanical wizard bust in the Wizard’s throne room, there are so many creations that bring the world of Oz to life. One example of this is Erivo opting to have green makeup done everyday rather than using visual effects as well as doing her own stunts, such as flying through fire on a harness. While Wicked had been critiqued for its color grading by a number of viewers and critics, the second film was a noticeable improvement in that aspect and shared more technical similarities with “The Wizard Of Oz”. In conclusion, “Wicked: For Good” is an emotional cinematic experience that will indeed change you, for good.
