After a year of patiently waiting, fans of the beloved adaptation of Broadway’s Wicked will finally be able to see the epic conclusion to Glinda and Elphaba’s heart-wrenching story on the big screen. Fortunately, their patience will be rewarded with Wicked: For Good, a second and final chapter that not only brings the glitz and glamour of Oz once more, but brings the story to its inevitable, but emotionally satisfying conclusion that will make the tears roll as the high notes soar.
Taking place shortly after the events of the first film, the story quickly picks up with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) who is now the feared outcast of Oz known as The Wicked Witch of the West, hiding discretely while making calculated public appearances to sway the citizens of Oz’s perception of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has risen to new heights in the power hierarchy of the city, putting on a brave face while her best friend is being hunted day in and day out by men led by Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), her husband to be. This sequel wastes no time in setting up the stakes and scope at play here, which not only provides substantially faster pacing, but makes this darker sequel even more exciting than its predecessor.
This follow-up once again has its two most valuable weapons in its arsenal with Erivo and Grande. The dynamic duo did a tremendous job establishing the core relationship between the two beloved characters in the first film, allowing the audience to emotionally invest in their story with ease. Their chemistry remains electric despite the fact their friendship is fractured to say the least given their new circumstances. Erivo and Grande do a phenomenal job at conveying the struggles of their respective characters, the former reluctantly becoming the villain as she tries to fight for the good of Oz while the latter has everything she ever dreamed of, but not at all how she truly wanted it. Watching their walls crack and crumble around one other provides the film with its most potent scenes, the two able to convey a thousand words with just a glance or minor facial tick. It’s hard to imagine any other two performers doing these roles the same kind of justice and the inevitable, bittersweet arc of their relationship is handled with tender care in their incredibly capable hands. Bailey also is given far meatier material to bite his teeth into here, channeling Fiyero’s internal anguish with a fierce, prickly rage as he is forced to hunt down the woman he truly loves as he is set to marry the woman he doesn’t. While the first film showcased his magnetic charm, the sequel allows the softer, more vulnerable side of the character to take center stage, a welcomed evolution that plays to Bailey’s considerable strengths.
Then there’s the scope of the film which feels as if it takes the production value of the first film and doubles down, the production design, costumes, sets, and visual effects even more dazzling this time around. The scope matches the heightened stakes and director Jon M. Chu, who also helmed the first film, never feels unsure of himself, handling each musical number and set piece with a deft, assured hand. The camerawork, blocking and staging feels far more dynamic and thoughtful here, the smaller musical numbers able to stand toe to toe with the grander ones, a refreshing change of pace. Fortunately, Chu doesn’t forget about the characters at play, making sure the majority of their storylines are given the proper care and attention they deserve despite the myriad of plates he’s juggling. Making two films at this scale and for such a feverish, dedicated fanbase is an unenviable task for any director, but Chu has done a commendable job not only telling a cohesive story, but doing so with the visual panache that it rightly deserves.
The music, like in the first film, envelops the audience, taking the revered tracks from the Broadway smash, along with some original numbers, and giving them the power and emotional heft they deserve, each feeling deserving of a round of applause. The vocal ranges of both Grande and Erivo continue to impress, the two showcasing their pipes along with their acting prowess with effortless ease. Even more so than the first film, the soundtrack works hand in hand with the storytelling to fully immerse the audience in the story and the colorful characters that inhabit it. The music may not be as memorable as in part one, but fans can rest assured that there will be plenty of infectious music to enjoy and sing along to.
However, while the pacing of the sequel is significantly faster than the original, this unfortunately becomes a detriment to the film. The sequel has such a hefty amount of narrative ground to cover that if often rushes and truncates the arcs of some of the key supporting characters. One notable example is the storyline involving Elphaba’s sister Nessa (Marissa Bode) and the dwindling romance between her and Boq (Ethan Slater), a relationship that is shortchanged due to the pacing. Unlike in the first film when their budding romance is given time to breathe and develop, they are given very little time to explore the twilight of their story. This is also the case for the Wizard, who has one of the more fascinating story threads of the film. Though Goldblum continues to ooze his offbeat charm, he can do very little to salvage an underwritten story with an ending the audience knows is coming from miles away and offers very little surprises or swerves. It also doesn’t help that the climax slavishly attempts to connect to The Wizard of Oz, which frankly is the most uninteresting facet of this story.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Wicked: For Good provides fans with more of what they loved about the first film, delivering lavish musical sequences, stellar performances, and a grandiose visual scope that never feels overindulgent, but perfectly in tune with the material. Not only does this sequel justify the story being split into two halves, but cements the fact that both films can not only be enjoyed as standalone stories, but as one epic collective tale as well. If this final installment makes anything abundantly apparent, it’s that Wicked works best when it’s carving its own path instead of walking the yellow brick road.
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