Following its November release, “Wicked: For Good,” the sequel to 2024’s “Wicked,” has proven itself to be polarizing despite box-office success.
Released in theaters on November 21, “Wicked: For Good” is an adaption of the second act of the 2003 Broadway musical “Wicked,” itself an adaption of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel of the same, which itself is a reimagining of the “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” children’s book and its 1939 film adaptation “The Wizard of Oz.” The film continues the story of the first musical act, following Elphaba — now known as the Wicked Witch of the West — as she wages a one-woman rebellion against the fraudulent Wizard of Oz and her former friend Glinda the Good.
To understand current reactions to the film, one must focus on its source material. As stated before, “Wicked: For Good” is first and foremost an adaptation of the Broadway musical’s second act. Granted, it adds new scenes between characters and two new songs, but overall, it is a mostly direct translation of the play. However, the show’s second act has always had a more polarizing response compared to its first.
To explain, the first act follows a standard narrative structure, introducing the audiences to all the major characters, gradually adding worldbuilding and increasing tension, all before ending with a final plot twist and the iconic “Defying Gravity” finale. Act two, and by extension “For Good,” on the other hand, is where the story of the musical begins overlapping with the story of the original “The Wizard of Oz,” with the narrative transitioning into almost entirely being composed of scenes taking place in-between those of the 1939 film. This leads to a more disjointed story where major plot revelations and character arcs are resolved offstage, with audiences having to rely on their existing knowledge of the film and novel to understand the narrative fully.
Furthermore, the second act of the play is comprised mostly of slower character ballads, and outside of a couple of songs like “No Good Deed,” it lacks many of the grander, more climatic musical moments the first act is known for. That makes part two a tougher sell for those hoping for another iconic “Defying Gravity” moment. However, those slower, more intimate songs allow for the narrative to delve deeper into its characters’ motivations and relationships, making the second film a valuable follow-up for those invested in the characters.
While “For Good” might have a weaker narrative compared to the first film, it does make several improvements in other areas. For instance, the film notably adopts darker colors and sets as it progresses, better matching the darker, more fantastical energy of the original stage play. This is an improvement compared to the first film, which instead opted for a brighter color palette that many fans felt strayed too far from the tone of the original musical.
Moreover, the film features excellent acting and vocal performances from its cast, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande especially standing out during the moving final song, “For Good.” Both actresses do a fantastic job at playing off each other, injecting emotional nuance into their characters.
Overall, “Wicked: For Good” is a suitable follow-up to the first film, although it inherits flaws from its source material that make it a tougher sell compared to the first. Die-hard fans of the original musical and those that loved the first movie will likely thoroughly enjoy this film as well. However, if the first did not win you over, this film will probably not make you an Oz superfan either.