The wait is finally over as Jon M. Chu’s long-awaited sequel film, Wicked: For Good, has finally hit theaters! Being one of, if not the most anticipated, movies of the year, the film has already broken some records by surpassing its predecessor, Wicked, at the box office during opening weekend.
Some spoilers up ahead: Continue reading at your own discretion.
Wicked: For Good is an adaptation of the second act of the Broadway musical, Wicked, and picks up about a year or so after the events of the first act. Elphaba (Cythia Erivo) is now officially titled as The Wicked Witch of the West and is forced to live secluded from society, sitting back watching as Glinda (Ariana Grande) gets to live out what was supposed to be her joyous and prosperous life in the Emerald City with the Wizard. Other notable things have happened in Oz during this time, like Fiyero (Johnathan Bailey) being appointed the Captain of the Guard for the Emerald City and his engagement to Glinda, Nessarose (Marissa Bode) becoming the Governor of Munchkinland and her abuse of power, and the total silencing of all animals. In addition to this, Dorothy Gale and friends from The Wizard of Oz are intertwined into the story and become important figures in the latter half. This second installment really focuses on Elphaba and Glinda’s wavering friendship and the continuing development of their own self-identity.
As soon as the title card popped up on the screen, we immediately felt transported back into the world of Oz, as this film does a great job at really expanding on and building up the setting. The color palette of this movie is also such an important piece, using extremely dark shades of black and green, vibrant shades of emerald, and light and hot shades of pink to show the disparity between characters and the worlds they live in. These details make all the difference as they help viewers not only feel the differences and similarities but also physically see them in action.
But even the greatest movies have their faults. This movie felt a bit lackluster compared to the first one, which isn’t entirely its fault. Being the runner-up to one of the most popular movies released in 2024, with incredible levels of engagement, leads to huge expectations that, in some ways, just cannot be met. Many fans feel as though the movie just didn’t meet the level of musicality and hype that the first one achieved.
One main reason this occurred was the time difference between the release of both movies. Wicked was released one year before Wicked: For Good made its debut. This huge time gap makes it hard for viewers to stay engaged with the franchise and keep up the hype around the second release. It is commonly argued that the whole two-movie set-up was solely for profit purposes, since the second movie felt like it lacked the momentum that the first one perfected. Despite compelling arguments, we believe that having two separate movies was likely the best way to carry out this vision, given the crucial backstory and small pivotal moments that could have been overlooked had they been included in one movie.
On the other hand, some of the highlights of the movie were the costumes and incredible vocals. All of the outfits throughout the film were absolutely stunning and completely fit the aesthetic of the world. From Glinda’s shiny and extravagant dresses to the Munchkin’s everyday clothes, each character was well thought out and put together. It was very apparent that a lot of time and effort was spent on making sure the wardrobe fit the character to a tee. Especially for Boq’s transformation into the iconic Tin Man. Out of all the representations of the Tin Man, we feel as though this interpretation and vision turned out to be one of the most memorable and detailed versions.
Speaking of effort, the actors’ work towards the singing aspects of this movie was not in vain. Even if fans argue that the songs in Wicked: For Good do not live up to the songs in Wicked, one thing we think everyone can agree on is that the vocals did not disappoint. Ariana’s ability to reach such high and delicate notes compared to Cynthia’s emotional and deep tone were staples of the movie, as was the powerful and passionate ensemble. They made all the songs enjoyable to listen to and helped evoke a connection between the audience and the film.
We do recommend going to see Wicked: For Good before it leaves theaters. If you saw Wicked when it first came out, this movie is an excellent sequel, and it might just change you, for good!
