Wicked: For Good – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Wicked: For Good – Songs of Yellow Bricks, Friendship and Magic

From the fantastical to the surreal, what becomes true is a matter of feeling the grip within.  The magic of the stage is an awe-inspiring thing, one where music and acting become one in the same.  It is the raw touch of that unique escape, a feeling that you hope is there when adapted to the big screen.  In this review, I look at the second part of the famed musical.  In a return to Oz, we head on a journey that is more of character than song.  Even with a change of focus, Wicked: For Good is a wonderful sendoff of friendship, love and the manners of what it means to be … magical. 

As Elphaba and Glinda struggle with their friendship, they must make hard choices so they can save the world of Oz.  For an adaptation, there is a juggling act between material and creativity.  As with any type of translation, there are things that work for one but not the other.  With musicals, it is a dancing act of music and story.  With this second film, it is a marker of finishing off the first film (Wicked), while still providing some gravitas to the lore.  As the film begins, we see that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) have taken sides for who will control the world of Oz.  With Elphaba, she is trying to bring out the truth, while Glinda struggles to be the face of ‘good’ in the smokescreen created by the Wizard and others.  This dancing act of the personal with the political adds weight to the lore, but also provides a genuine twist to the recognized elements (of previous tales).  As the film moves through scenes of colorful stage like antics and musical notes, it is the hardened tones of dramatization that raises the emotional worth in the clichés and tropes at play.  For all that is alluded to (and sometimes conveniently placed), it is the interactions between Elphaba, Glinda and the rest of the cast that drives the journey forward (you can view the cast list at the film’s IMDb page – link).  The hazy complexion of truth and lies propel genuine characterized moments, where the ideals of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ become a matter of perspective.  As these thematic layers play against musical reverie, the staunch grip of the adaptation becomes truly gratifying … until the familiar comes into play. 

As our two leads struggle with their convictions, the subplots start to entangle with their journey.  With other characters weighing into the political wranglings (in Oz), there are twists that feel forced, creating a stumbling of genuine appeal that contrasts with these ‘different’ lens of the familiar.  Even as these things happen, there are poignant details that stand out, driven by our leads.  As everything comes to an atypical ‘face the moment’ crossroads, we head into a third act that is a mix bag of strong character moments and rushed conclusions.  Even for its predictability, we head into a genuine climax and epilogue.  Wicked: For Good is an adaptation that struggles to be one of a kind.  For fans of the stage play, lore or the first film, I say you will have a good time with this.  For everyone else, there is enough here to see on the big screen, but at the right price. 

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)