The second part of the WICKED film, WICKED: FOR GOOD, was always going to have giant silver (not ruby) slippers to fill, which is both a testament to the success of its predecessor and commentary on the overarching question… did WICKED really need to be turned into two films? But the good news is, even though FOR GOOD falls short of the greatness of part one, it is still a touching, entertaining film that deserves some gratitution. Director John M. Chu once again does a phenomenal job bringing the color-rich world of Oz to the big screen, leveraging Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s sizzling chemistry and enormous talent to make the action leap off the screen. Of course, there are some overarching issues, including a bloated runtime and new songs being added for no purpose. But overall, FOR GOOD is a magical, emotional conclusion to one of the best musicals of all time.
Picking up where we left off in part one, FOR GOOD starts with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) disgraced and on the run. The people of Oz believe she is the source of evil behind every bad occurrence, not knowing that it’s actually their beloved Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madam Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) that are to blame. Elphaba makes appearances throughout the countryside, rescuing beleaguered animals who are being used as manual labor for the construction of the yellow brick road—who knew it was built on the backs of the oppressed! Glinda (Ariana Grande), on the other hand, has fully leaned into the propaganda machine, propping up herself and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) as the power couple of Oz. But as Elphaba’s safety and reputation come under increased peril, the facade starts to break between Glinda and Fiyero and the two must decide whether they choose power over doing what’s right by their friend and their country.
Some may see FOR GOOD as a traditional romance, but to me the chemistry between Fiyero and Elphaba is a bit lacking; even in the stage show, the love triangle is the least interesting dynamic. I instead see this as a love story between two friends, Elphaba and Glinda. Their relationship is the beating heart of the film and because of that, it is critical that there be chemistry between the two lead actresses. Erivo and Grande pick up right where they left off from part one, and even though their characters are separated for a good portion of the film, each time they find their way back to each other, the scenes are electrifying.
On paper, the WICKED story may seemingly be more about Elphaba, but FOR GOOD is Glinda’s story and Grande gives the performance of her career. If you thought she was great in the first film, just wait for this. Glinda’s character has the biggest character arc in the story, and I was surprised by how much my interpretation of Glinda (and the overarching story) changed when using film as the medium. Being confronted with Glinda’s emotions in focused close-ups, where you can see the hurt and distress conveyed on her face, completely changed my perspective of the character. On stage, with the characters further away, I was less concerned with Glinda’s feelings and more happy that Elphaba was finally getting ahead. But watching this all play out on the big screen, with Grande’s affecting performance, made me sympathize with Glinda more than I ever expected; in some cases, I even :gasp: thought Elphaba was being a bad friend.
I wish the same could also be said for Michelle Yeoh, but yikes… as good as Yeoh is in so many things, she is miscast as Madame Morrible. It’s honestly not her fault, Chu set her up for failure. Yeoh may look the part, and has enough gravitas to make anyone quiver. But casting her alongside such vocal talents as Erivo and Grande, in a role that requires a powerful singer (which she is not), is a disservice for all of us.
FOR GOOD features my two favorite songs in the musical, “No Good Deed” and “For Good”, and those two performances do not disappoint. Erivo’s “No Good Deed” absolutely brings the house down, in an iconic 11 o’clock number that is sure to make you jump out of your seat and applaud (the audience in my screening did). The anger and emotion exuding throughout her performance is going to send shockwaves through Hollywood. “For Good”, on the other hand, is the exact opposite end of the spectrum. It is a soft, emotional ballad of two best friends saying goodbye to each other for the last time. In many ways, it felt like Erivo and Grande also saying goodbye to each other and their characters.
Unfortunately, FOR GOOD decided to throw in a few new songs that I did not care for at all. I am admittedly a purist, and once I love something I do not want any major changes made (don’t ask me about the Moulin Rouge Broadway show, it’s a sore subject). These new songs don’t add much to the story, nor did they really seem to have much of a purpose other than to kill time in an already long film. I don’t think they are needed, and they don’t have the same vibe and melody as the songs from the original production, which makes them stand out.
To answer my earlier question, did WICKED need to be split into two movies? Probably not. But to be honest the first film is so good, I don’t know what I would have taken out. Maybe WICKED should have instead been a 3.5 hour magnum opus, but whose attention-span is enough for something like that? The most important part is that both films are entertaining and promote a message of inclusion and kindness, something we probably all could use a bit more of these days.
My Review: B