Despite all the criticism, there is something special about Wicked: For Good. At its best, Wicked: For Good beautifully wraps up the story of Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship; at its worst, the longer runtime held space for the weaker parts of Act 2 to stay on the screen longer. 

For over two decades, Wicked has been a beloved Broadway musical that has captured the hearts of fans all over the globe. It wasn’t just in musical theater circles; it was popular in its own right. If there was ever a crowdpleasing musical that should be adapted into a movie, it was Wicked. After years of development purgatory, the wait had been worth it when Wicked: Part I, directed by Jon M. Chu, was released last year. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Part I was a faithful adaptation of the Act 1, with thoughtful worldbuilding that incorporated more of the book elements from the original Gregory Maguire book. After making $758 million worldwide, the hype was there for the story’s conclusion in the adaptation of Act 2 in Wicked: For Good. 

For fans of the Broadway musical, it’s usually agreed upon that Act 1 is far superior to Act 2. The more memorable numbers are in Act 1, while Act 2 is more serious, flying its way through connections to the original Wizard of Oz and the conclusion. By splitting Wicked into two movies, we were hopeful that the glaring problems in Act 2 could be smoothed out in For Good. How did that work out? At its best, Wicked: For Good beautifully wraps up the story of Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship; at its worst, the longer runtime held space for the weaker parts of Act 2 to stay on the screen longer. 

Let’s first give credit where credit is due: Nathan Crawley’s production design and Paul Tazewell’s costume design are remarkable. Crawley captures the wonder of the fantastical world of Oz through the spectacular sets. Meanwhile, Tazewell’s costumes are a story in their own right, from Elphaba’s gray cardigan to Glinda’s blue gown to Fiyero’s Ozian uniform. Crawley and Tazewell’s designs are as integral to Wicked as Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are. They are the real wizards who bring the magic to Oz. 

One of the bigger questions going into Wicked: For Good was the inclusion of two brand new songs from Stephen Schwartz, who created the music and lyrics of the stage musical. With a longer runtime, there was breathing room for character-specific songs for both Elphaba and Glinda. Both Erivo and Grande are skilled, GRAMMY-winning artists with exceptional voices; they can bring life to any lyric. Yet for a musical as beloved as Wicked, there’s a risk adding two unproven songs that could potentially fall flat. How did the gamble pay off? “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” mostly work fine in the context of Wicked: For Good. The former ties into the animal subplot, attempting to galvanize the fleeing animals to stay and fight for their right to their homes. The latter is a character-driven turning point for Glinda as she reckons with her own ignorance to The Wizard and Madame Morrible’s machinations. While both have the potential to be nominated for Best Original Song, “No Place Like Home” has the edge over “The Girl in the Bubble” more for its role in the story (the nod to The Wizard of Oz is a nice touch, too). While “The Girl in the Bubble” is self-reflective, a scene that does the same thing with a stronger impact is the flashback scene of Glinda as a young girl attempting magic in front of her friends. It reveals Glinda’s insecurities and people-pleasing tendencies in a more poignant way. 

This is a small observation, but it speaks to the overall nature of Wicked: For Good. Despite the songs featured in the sequel, 12 in total, most of the songs were performed either standing still or walking from one spot to another. There was a brief visual callback to “What Is This Feeling?” during Glinda’s introduction in Oz during “Everyday More Wicked.” Outside of that, Christopher Scott’s choreography was largely absent. To be fair, Act 2 songs don’t carry the same whimsy and carefree energy as that of Act 1. The story is darker and more mature in nature, but that doesn’t excuse some of the stiffness found in the delivery of these songs. Starting “As Long As Your Mine” in two separate rooms might highlight the yearning Elphaba and Fiyero feel for each other, but Elphaba starting the ballad in another room not facing him is a strange place to begin. A dance break in “Wonderful” like that of the musical would’ve been… wonderful. 

Speaking of The Wizard, while it was a great decision to add Glinda into “Wonderful,” Jeff Goldblum was, at best, tolerable in Wicked: For Good. He did play up The Wizard’s carny roots well in “Wonderful.” Outside that, he lacked some menace needed when Elphaba discovers more of his lies. As for his right-hand woman, Michelle Yeoh’s weaknesses as a vocalist are highlighted more in For Good than in Part I. With a larger singing presence in “Thank Goodness/I Couldn’t Be Happier,” her Morrible doesn’t hold up as strongly here. Yeoh is a phenomenal actress and deserves her flowers (or rather, poppies), but For Good was not the project for her.

Despite the longer runtime, there were aspects to the story that felt missing. For instance, in a brief flashback, we see Elpaba, Glinda, Fiyero, Nessarose, and Boq hanging out together during their days at Shiz. it seems like this flashback is meant to cover ground on the friendship between all five of these people. Yet, it does nothing to sell a friend group that ultimately fell apart. If this was expanded upon in For Good, or even in the context of Part I, it could’ve made this point stronger.

A character from the musical that was improved on in For Good is Boq. In many ways, he has himself to blame for his ultimate fate. Had he been honest to Nessarose at the OzDust, things could’ve ended happier. In For Good, Boq is given the chance to leave Nessarose on good terms prior to learning about Glinda’s engagement to Fiyero. His subsequent treatment afterwards highlights Nessarose’s own dark tendencies that she inherited from her cruel father. Boq’s resentment morphs into hate as he’s physically transformed, ultimately leading Dorothy and a mob to kill the Wicked Witch of the West. The look he gives Glinda from a distance is chilling and well… heartless. Ethan Slater recently got to show off his more sinister side in the latest season of Gen V, and here in For Good, he excels.

Another character who deserves attention outside the leads is Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero. The recently crowned Sexiest Man Alive lives up to the title in For Good, but he is much more than a pretty face. Bailey dazzles as he often communicates Fiyero’s conflicting feelings effortlessly without saying a word — his desperate need to find Elphaba, his fury at The Wizard, his resignation to marry someone he doesn’t love, his brief joy of spending the night with woman of his desire. Arguably, his best scene is when Fiyero begs Elphaba to escape and he be left with his former guards. The vulnerability on Bailey’s pleading face is exceptional. Bridgerton fans have known his talents for a few years, so it’s gratifying to see him get this attention on an even larger scale.

If Wicked: Part I is Elphaba’s story, then Wicked: For Good is Glinda’s. This is not to withhold from Cynthia Erivo; she continues to shine as Elphaba, particularly in “No Good Deed,” one of the best songs from Act 2 and For Good. The primary bulk of her arc, from dreamer to defiant rebel, happens in Part I. In For Good, she remains steadfast on her mission to free the animals from The Wizard’s oppression and exposing his lies to the rest of Oz. Out of grief, she accepts the label that’s been thrust upon on her by Morrible and the Ozians. It’s not long after that her brief fight with Glinda is resolved, ultimately trusting her to finish what she started. Elphaba doesn’t lack depth in the sequel, but she does move into a more supporting role.

Meanwhile, Ariana Grande floats into the lead as Glinda. Her arc becomes more dynamic as she faces the consequences of her decision at the end of Part I. By siding with The Wizard and Morrible, she becomes the face of “good” in Oz. Glinda’s journey in For Good is discovering what goodness really means. She discovers it’s much more than niceness and people-pleasing. For all the skepticism Grande faced when she was initially cast, we couldn’t be happier for her turn as Glinda, not only matching some of Kristin Chenoweth’s tone and cadency but making Glinda hers. Like Bailey, Grande succeeds at displaying Glinda’s growing horror as her own ignorant bubble begins to pop. The spoiled, popular girl matures to become the leader Oz really needs, and this transformation works because of Grande. 

The story of Wicked begins and ends with Elphaba and Glinda. Their friendship is the heartbeat that brings Oz to life. The best parts of For Good are when Erivo and Grande are together onscreen, as they bring out the best in each other like a perfect harmony. The crux of For Good’s success comes down to the titular song, “For Good.” It’s the culmination of what these two women have come to mean to each other. Not only did they bring the powerhouse vocals, but Erivo and Grande’s decision to punctuate the ending from opposite sides of the door is a stroke of genius. The grief they feel as they say goodbye is heartwrenching yet beautiful. Whether you choose to read their friendship as romantic or platonic, the love between Elphaba and Glinda is palpable in their final scene together, and together, Erivo and Grande soar.

Wicked: For Good is an uneven, less bombastic conclusion to the two-part musical saved by its strong performances from Erivo and Grande. While Wicked: Part I was able to expand its worldbuilding and character development positively, For Good largely falls flat. Perhaps Act 2 would’ve played better in its intended place — in one singular Wicked movie. However, with general audience’s aversion to sitting through a 3+ hour runtime (apart from Christopher Nolan films), the business decision to split the musical makes sense. 

Yet, despite all the criticism, there is something special about For Good. Fans have waited years for Wicked to finally make its big screen debut. This past year has been a celebration of pink and green and a rediscovered love of movie musicals. Who can say if this love will last or the industry will be changed for the better as a result. However, because of Erivo, Grande, Bailey, Slater, Marissa Bode, the cast, the crew, the dancers, Stephen Schwartz, audiences have, indeed, been changed for good.

Grade: C+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande) , Best Original Song, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, Best Visual Effects
Should be Considered: Best Lead Actress (Cynthia Erivo)

Where to Watch: In Theaters