Kaylee: Defying Expectations
T
o say I have been changed for good is quite the understatement.
No, it wasn’t by Glinda’s sweetness or Elphaba’s defiance alone, but by the way “Wicked: For Good” delivers one of the most emotionally precise endings I have seen on screen in years.
As someone who walked into the theater without knowing every detail of “The Wizard of Oz,” my jaw dropped at the plot twists. The origins of the Scarecrow and Tin Man are cleverly woven into the story, giving their backstories more emotional weight than I expected. If part one made me curious about the world of Oz, “For Good” made me the biggest Oz fan in the theater.
This sequel is noticeably faster-paced, trading some of the musical wonder of the first film for tighter plotting and higher emotional stakes. While the soundtrack in part one still has stronger standalone numbers, “For Good” uses every track to drive the story forward.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande elevate every scene they’re in. Their emotional press interviews make complete sense after watching how deeply they commit to their roles. Elphaba and Glinda’s final separation in the film hits especially hard because the genuine love between the two actresses is unmistakable. In their rendition of “For Good,” the lyrics, “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good,” feel less like a musical cue and more like Erivo and Grande’s friendship transcends beyond the screen, a connection that clearly grew throughout the filming process.
Paige: Transcending from the stage to the screen
Jon M. Chu’s movie musical accomplishes the difficult task of translating the second act of “Wicked” to the big screen, following his triumphant part one of the movie franchise. When the iconic silhouette cover of Elphaba and Glinda from the original Broadway cast album of “Wicked” reappears at the film’s ending, Chu creates a full-circle moment that serves as a fitting way to close a near-perfect adaptation.
“Wicked: For Good” follows Act 2 of the stage musical and carries the hefty role of refining what many fans consider the weaker act. While the entire musical initially ran 2 hours and 45 minutes with intermission, “Wicked: For Good” alone runs for 2 hours and 17 minutes, giving Chu room to expand on character development and storylines that were lost in the stage version. This helps resolve the pacing issues and holes the original production suffered from.
For example, the animal plot line introduced in part one of “Wicked” is largely forgotten in the second act on Broadway, despite its pivotal role in motivating Elphaba to defy the Wizard. With the inclusion of a new song, “No Place Like Home,” partly written by Erivo, this thread is not only remembered but thoughtfully included to characterize Elphaba’s compassion and drive to fight.
What makes Act 2 of “Wicked” so compelling is its shift in tone. Powerhouse songs like “No Good Deed” and “March of the Witchhunters” highlight exceptional performances as characters explore the intricacies of morality. For me, the only moment that fell flat compared to the stage musical was the song “Wicked Witch of the East,” where Elphaba’s sister Nessarose turns from a sweet, shy girl into a dictator motivated by greed. In a movie that felt so well-paced, this moment felt shockingly rushed, with significant verses cut. However, Ethan Slater’s terrifying portrayal of Boq saved the moment entirely.
As a fan of the musical, I was thoroughly captivated by this movie.
