Fans of the onstage musical “Wicked” have been understandably curious about how splitting the story into two movies would play out since it was announced in 2022. The second act of the musical is questionable; it builds on everything from the first act while alluding to the classic “Wizard of Oz.” How would it play out in a two-hour and 18-minute run time?
Despite doubts, Director Jon M. Chu washed away every worry, exceeding all expectations. Although shorter than its predecessor film, it is more extravagant and a leap forward in emotion. From the opening sequence of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) flying in on her broom to save the abused animals being forced to build the classic yellow brick road, it was clear this story still had a lot more to tell. Every scene in this film was otherworldly, from the transformation of Boq (Ethan Slater) into the Tin Man to the recreation of the musical’s playbill cover at the end. This entire movie is a love letter to the fans of the musical, those who have been impacted by a friendship and those who have felt like an outcast.
Although fans already knew the majority of the songs that would play, it was still breathtaking to hear all of these classics with the film’s actors and actresses’ vocals. The soundtrack is to die for, with the majority of the songs making audiences feel like they were levitating out of their seats. The standout songs of the film were “No Good Deed” and “For Good.” In Erivo’s version of Elphaba’s song, “No Good Deed,” her rendition easily became the best of previous versions. The tone of the song, combined with Erivo’s emotions shown in her voice, transcends this song and makes it feel like an experience. In particular, her “Fiyero” lines show just how impactful and emotional this scene is, as she tries to save him from death and turns him into a scarecrow. Another song that pulls at the heartstrings, “For Good,” is a love letter to those with a best friend. This duet between Elphaba and Glinda was one of the most tear-jerking scenes in the film. The song acknowledges how deeply their friendship has impacted each other, and how, although they will never see each other again, their bond has changed them forever. The combination of Erivo and Grande’s vocals in this song gave the audience full-body chills, allowing them to feel every emotion the characters felt alongside them.
The cast significantly added to the film’s emotion and impact. Erivo’s development of Elphaba perfectly plays out, her acting and voice making her a powerhouse in the film. As the “villain” in this story, Erivo perfectly portrayed Elphaba’s vulnerability and maturity throughout this film. In addition, the supporting cast consisting of Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Marissa Bode as Nessarose and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible stood out as well, contributing to the tone and sadness of this film. However, the standouts of this film were Grande as Glinda and Slater as Boq/the Tin Man. Now being positioned as “the good witch,” Glinda shines in this film, making every audience member sympathize with her while simultaneously hating her at times, showing Grande’s range in acting. In addition, proving to everyone why he was cast as Boq, Slater’s performance left audiences speechless. His pure hatred towards Nessarose and Elphaba for his transformation gave viewers full-body chills. Watching this film, it felt as if the audience were really there in the movie, as the chemistry among the cast made the movie so immersive and emotional.
In a heartbreaking finale to this two-part film series, Chu delivered a film every person needs to see. “Wicked: For Good” is a story of societal prejudice, censorship and the complexities of choosing good versus evil. But at its core, its message is about the power of platonic love and embracing one’s identity. It shows compassion, love and humility, softening the hearts of all its viewers and truly changing them for good.
