Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo once again show off their incredible singing voices in Wicked For Good, but the film still falls flat.
Full disclosure: I am one of those Wicked fans who love the book and cannot stand the musical due to the changes that were made, especially when it comes to the ending. So while I hoped I would be wrong, I anticipated not being a fan of Wicked For Good, assuming they stayed on course with the musical. The first film surprised me, and I rather enjoyed it thanks to the incredible performances and the unforgettable production, set design, costumes, hair, and makeup. Say what you will, the movie is stunning.
Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Once Again Shine, But It Isn’t Enough
Therefore, I went into Wicked For Good with an open mind, hoping to be blown away as it was promised to be a combination of the book and the musical. Unfortunately, despite Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) singing their hearts out, it was a bit of a mess.
To no one’s surprise, the two leads shine consistently throughout the film. They can sing, we all know that, but wow did they impress with their vocals, especially during the duet “For Good”. In the first movie, “Defying Gravity” gave me chills and moved me to tears. None of the songs this time around had that effect on me, but considering the second half of the musical is on the blander side, I came to expect that with this film.
Gorgeous Costumes & Sets Feel Repetitive
Here is the thing about opting to make this story two films rather than one: it all feels like it has been done before. Everything looks beautiful, I am not debating that, but it doesn’t stand out enough against last year’s film to warrant getting praise during awards season. Mostly because, well, quite honestly, it has been done before. They were already celebrated for their accomplishments, and nothing improved this time around. Still top-notch, incredible set design and costumes, but they simply feel repetitive now.
Wicked For Good’s Story Simultaneously Feels Rushed & Drags
It is pretty difficult to have a story that not only feels way too rushed but also drags on, especially when the movie clocks in at over two hours. Bits of the plot seem to come out of nowhere, with not enough time to lay the groundwork for the emotion behind the decisions being made.
I needed to reference my recollection of the book in order to believe that Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) should be together when that time finally comes in the movie. Perhaps it is because their established chemistry was in the first film, and waiting a year caused that believability to die.
At the same time, the middle of the movie drags unbearably slow, and I found myself trying very hard to stay awake. What worked well in Wicked is Glinda and Elphaba’s journey and their eventual friendship. Them being apart so much Wicked For Good takes away from the movie, making it feel dull and uninspired at times. Of course, plot-wise, this needed to be the case, but it did the movie no favors.
A Frustrating Ending Left A Sour Taste In My Mouth
As someone who loves the book, as I mentioned before, I was dreading the ending of Wicked For Good. The book is able to pull off an extremely dark ending that feels cohesive with the story being told in The Wizard Of Oz. This film does not. It pivots to a happy Hollywood ending, destroying so much of what the story is about in the process.
At the same time, much of the politics surrounding the animals that is so prevalent in the book is discarded, which is not only frustrating, but it causes For Good to feel disconnected from Wicked, which was able to highlight this important plot point in a much better way than the musical did.
Overall Thoughts
Wicked For Good tries, but fails, to be in the same ballpark as its predecessor. While viewers shouldn’t compare the two, as they are two parts of the same story, it is impossible not to. The first half of the musical is infinitely better than the second, which starts to fall apart and becomes forgettable; the same is unfortunately true of the movies.
The two new songs are not memorable at all, and almost feel shoehorned into the story for the sole purpose of being nominated for the Original Song category during awards season. While Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo once again prove they have some of the best pipes in the business, they cannot save this messy, frustrating movie.
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About Wicked: For Good
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (OscarĀ® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.
As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.
As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.
Wicked: For Good comes to theaters on November 21st.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo once again show off their incredible singing voices in Wicked For Good, but the film still falls flat.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.