Movie review: “Wicked: For Good” delivers a powerful, emotional finale
Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked,” the sensational Broadway show with the same title has been pulling in a cult following ever since its first showing in 2003. Elphaba and Glinda, the iconic green and pink duo — originally portrayed on Broadway by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth respectively — made their way to the big screen this past year.
Director Jon M. Chu brought the 2024 film “Wicked” to life, which covers the first half of the Broadway musical. A year after the first film was released, “Wicked: For Good” hit theatres on Nov. 21 with the returning duo of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, alongside Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero and Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard.
The film resumes where it was left off from the first part. Elphaba is now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West and is forced to hide herself away from all of Oz. Conversely, Glinda is now a public figure who must be a role model for all of Oz and who is forced to spew propaganda against her once friend, Elphaba.
Elphaba’s green skin is used against her by those in Oz as she tries to inform the general public of The Wizard’s lies. Chu’s film may be taking place in a magical land, but the themes within speak on today’s issues.
Erivo and Grande’s acting throughout the film is extraordinary. Erivo is already an acclaimed actress, including her Oscar-nominated performance in "Harriet.” However, this is one of Grande’s first major acting projects. She showed her acting ability in the first part, but in “Wicked: For Good” she completely outdoes herself. I was completely captivated by her emotion and facial expressions. When I was watching the film, my brain completely separated that character of Glinda from the world-renowned pop star Ariana Grande.
As for the music, I fell in love with both Erivo’s and Grande’s renditions of the original Broadway songs. Grande’s “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier” illustrates an emotional breakthrough for Glinda’s character, where her belting shoots Glinda’s message forward of struggling to fit into the public-figure role when her best friend is being persecuted.
Once again, Erivo proves her presence as a powerhouse vocalist through her performance of “No Good Deed.” Her use of riffs and belts mesmerized me as she comes to terms with viewing herself as “wicked” just like everyone else.
The film ends with the powerful song titled “For Good,” performed by both Erivo and Grande. The heartbreaking duet between the two about how they changed each other’s lives for the better brought tears to my eyes. The song ends with the iconic line: “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”
One of my main qualms about the music is that some of the actors fell flat when it came to their vocal performance. Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, who plays Madame Morrible, is a phenomenal actress, but her emotionless singing brought me out of the moment and honestly made me laugh at times.
The cinematography of the film is something that people online have issues with as well, saying that the film is not “colorful” enough. I personally believe that the film does a perfectly fine job with color grading. The colors pop off the screen, especially with Elphaba’s green skin and Glinda’s sparkly pink gowns.
Designers Mark Coulier and Frances Hannon brought to life the Tin Man and the Scarecrow from the original 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” through outstanding use of prosthetics and makeup. The Tin Man’s transformation terrified me not only because of Ethan Slater’s acting but also the use of prosthetics. His body contorted into the silver machine in a terrifying sequence.
My viewing experience at Cinemark Century Sioux Falls 14 and XD was all decked out with “Wicked”-themed accessories. My friend and I dressed in green and pink, the worker sprinkled green and pink dust on our popcorn, and we ate it out of a “Wicked”-themed bucket. The experience was wickedly perfect.
“Wicked: For Good” marks the end of the “Wicked” universe with Elphaba and Glinda, leaving audiences with not just a fun musical but a path toward deeper conversations on equality and accepting others who are different.
