Wicked: For Good

Splitting a single story into two movies is a risky production decision that sometimes pays off and sometimes doesn’t. Is it truly merited artistically speaking, or is it simply an attempt at an unabashed box office money grab? When the creators of the cinematic adaptation of the smash hit Broadway musical Wicked announced in 2022 that they would be depicting the material through two films, the decision was met with somewhat mixed reactions. Could the pictures each stand alone despite being parts of the same story? Would the first installment be strong enough to retain audience interest over time before the release of the second part (in this case, a year, far longer than a typical Broadway intermission)? And would there be a distinct enough connection to seamlessly tie the two movies together? Those are among just a few of the potential pitfalls typically associated with a production decision like this. In this case, however, the move has appeared to pay off, both creatively and monetarily. The extra time taken to tell the story here has effectively facilitated a better understanding of the narrative and the nature of its characters than the original stage play, which was often criticized for throwing too much content at audiences too quickly, making it hard to follow. And, while this second part doesn’t have quite the same spark as its 2024 predecessor, it’s still a capable, polished effort thanks to its fine production design, stirring musical numbers and stellar performances. As for the somewhat diminished luster, that could be due to the fact that the material in this second act (as in the play itself) is darker and more serious than, and not quite as well organized as, part one, with decidedly fewer laughs and less overall whimsy. It could also be that the novelty of the first film has worn off in the time since its release a year ago, understandable for material as distinctive as this. Whatever the case, though, “Wicked: For Good” nevertheless presents an entertaining, enjoyable and at times enlightening tale, continuing the story of the two principals, Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande-Butera) and Elphaba, now known as the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo), the onetime best friends who have been divided by the nefarious maneuverings of the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) and the evil Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). As the story threads of this quartet unfold, the film also picks up and substantively elaborates upon the roles of several supporting characters whose participation wasn’t always made clear in the first installment, giving them an opportunity to shine in their own right. This includes the plotlines involving Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), Nessa’s romantic interest, Boq (Ethan Slater), and the charming, if conflicted, Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). It also opens the door to introducing characters from this work’s original cinematic source material, “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), including unexpectedly transplanted farmgirl Dorothy Gale (Bethany Weaver) and her sidekicks, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion (voiced by Colman Domingo), players who figure significantly in the overall narrative but are incorporated here without becoming overly intrusive. Admittedly, viewers may not find this offering from director Jon M. Chu quite as enthralling as “Wicked: Part 1” (2024), but it’s far from the unfairly overblown disappointment that some have expressed about it. For what it’s worth, “Wicked: For Good” once again proves that tales of life over the rainbow don’t disappoint, making us feel like warmly welcomed visitors who come to believe that there’s truly no place like our collective second home.

Perhaps it’s just my own innate inverse reaction to hype, but boy was I underwhelmed by this. It was always going to be the harder film to make an impression, given it’s a prequel to “Wizard of Oz” and is therefore somewhat boxed in from a plot perspective. Anyway,  “Elphaba” (Cynthia Erivo) has had to flee from “Oz” leaving her friend “Galinda” (Ariana Grande-Butera) playing the role of the goody-goody for the wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his hench-witch “Madame Morrible” (Michelle Yeoh). “Elphie” is determined to prove to the people that their leader is a fraud, but with the local population perfectly content with his governance, she has quite a battle on her hands. Indeed, the more she attempts to expose him, the less popular and more feared she becomes. Meantime, “Galinda” is set to wed “Fiyero” (Jonathan Bailey), the dashing captain of the guards - only we and he know that his heart is set on another, and she is fairly green with envy! With the animals all fleeing as if it were “Narnia” on fire, the yellow brick road being more of a conduit to oppression than to freedom and the menacing flying monkeys enforcing the wizard’s will - what chance our feisty outcast can save the day and get her guy? The visuals are terrific, but the rest of it is positively mundane. We have to wait for virtually two hours for anything akin to a killer song like “No Good Deed” or “For Good” otherwise we are presented with some not especially creatively choreographed dance numbers set to songs that are definitely not from amongst Stephen Schwartz’s finest. It has half a dozen goes at ending, and really does string that process out for twenty minutes or so that I felt just prolonged the film for the sake of it. Erivo and Grande-Butera do both know how to sing and unlike so many power-balladeers they deliver with a sense of soul, not just one of “hey, listen to my impressive vocal range”, and with Bailey providing some eye-candy and the underused Goldblum helping to steal the scene on “Wonderful” this does have some saving graces, but maybe I’m just immune to the fuss about a story that I found really quite weak and over-stretched. It looks great on a big screen, and maybe there are some subliminal messages about modern day (American) governance and the values of friendship and loyalty, but I just didn’t love it.