“Wicked: For Good,” the second part to the film duo based on the stage musical “Wicked,” provides a finale to its blockbuster prequel.
This film continues where the first movie left off, featuring the same Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
“For Good” carries a much darker tone than its predecessor, as Oz grapples with the persecution of animals and the villainization of Elphaba, all at the hands of our protagonist’s former instructor Madam Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh.
Of course, one of the biggest considerations of adapting the second act of the “Wicked” musical from a Broadway stage to the silver screen is the amount of added time there is to dive further into the story. The original second act lasts about an hour on stage, while “Wicked: For Good” clocks in at two hours and 17 minutes.
With an additional hour to spare, some changes between the original second act and “For Good” are made to beef up the story.
The beginning of the movie spends more time than the stage musical explaining the time jump between the two parts and contextualizes the reality of Oz a lot more clearly in its opening. We see the progression of every character and what role they play in the political realm of Oz.
There are two new songs added to the movie, “No Place like Home,” sung by Elphaba in an attempt to convince the animals escaping Oz to stay, and “Girl in the Bubble,” an introspective song where Glinda reflects on her role in Elphaba’s persecution.
The former felt entirely unnecessary. The same story beat is achieved through the dialogue in the scene, and the song is not compelling enough to have been included. Even the title itself, “No Place Like Home,” is a little corny and a bit on the nose.
“Girl in the Bubble,” on the other hand, made more sense to include. It is nice to gain more perspective on the internal conflict Glinda experiences as she struggles with resolving her public persona with her friendship with Elphaba.
A standout performance was Ethan Slater as Boq, who is later transformed into the Tin Woodsman by Elphaba after her sister Nessarose reads from the Grimmerie and accidentally causes his heart to shrink. Slater portrays a genuinely scary and heartless Boq after his tin transformation, adding another layer of complexity to the role.
The chemistry between Erivo and Grande is, of course, the best part of the film. Their performance of “For Good” towards the end is heartwrenching, melancholy and beautiful.
The best vocal performance also comes from Erivo in the song “No Good Deed.” As she fights to save Fiyero, there is a powerful desperation in her voice that puts this song above any other.
However, the main villainous force of Yeoh seems to be weak. The times she is actually threatening to Elphaba are indirect attacks, and an additional confrontation scene would have been a welcome addition. The movie lost out on an opportunity to show the personal effects of her tyranny, and by the end, Morrible basically surrenders with no fighting back.
“Wicked: For Good” may have some spots where the plot could have been tighter. However, for the casual fan who is not a Broadway diehard, it is still an excellent film.
