Wicked For Good: Magical Performances

I was absolutely looking forward to Wicked: For Good. After seeing the first film, I already knew that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are excellent performers but I couldn’t wait to see the conclusion, see how the story was resolved. After watching, I found the film had magical performances from everyone, stellar harmony between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and the ending was emotional.

Wicked: For Good is a musical fantasy and the sequel to Wicked. It is directed by John M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The sequel to Wicked, it adapts the second part of the 2003 stage musical which is loosely based on Gregory McGuire’s 1995 book. In Wicked: For Good, it is five years later and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is now dubbed the Wicked Witch of the West and hunted by the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) and his soldiers. Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande) is now the Wizard’s spokesperson and engaged to Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey) while Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) continues spreading propaganda about Elphaba. Nessarose (Marissa Bode) has inherited their father’s governorship since his death while Boq Woodsman (Ethan Slater) assists her unwillingly. Elphaba continues to fight the Wizard and speak out for the animals but isn’t making progress, especially when the Cowardly Lion (Colman Domingo), the cub she saved from a cage, speaks out against her and tells the other animals that she created the Winged Monkeys. As matters escalate, Dorothy arrives in Oz and horrible choices must be made. Will Glinda and Fiyero side with Elphaba or will they abandon her at the end?

What Wicked: For Good brings to the table is an incredible harmony between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The story is solid. The narrative extends the themes from the original, about being different and making changes. As Elphaba fights for change against a fascist government, this might seem familiar. I’m sure that resonates with a lot of folks. We also get to see how the characters evolve, in particular Glinda and Elphaba but we also see how characters change into the Tinman, Scarecrow and of course, the Cowardly Lion. And eventually the story leads us to the original origin, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz but viewed through Elphaba’s eyes as essentially a minor character in a more overarching, complex storyline. The story is emotional and beautiful.

While the story is excellent, what makes this film shine are the musical performances. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have effortlessly beautiful harmony. Even when the characters are at odds, that harmony stands out when they perform together. Jeff Goldblum might not have the same singing chops but his dance routines are flawless and he brings the pizzazz that you expect from the Wizard, all the charm and conman energy even when he’s misstepping with Elphaba. Jonathan Bailey is a delight as a singer and his energy is dynamic when combined with Cynthia Erivo, especially when exploring the character’s relationship. The heartbreaking notes of his and Elphaba’s destiny add emotion. It is the acting and the music that add up to the blockbuster status. It is a dynamic, emotional story with exquisite performances.

What lacks for me is a bit of the build up that came with the first film. While the characters are dynamic, that only works because I saw the first film. With the sequel, the characters have less growth and less build up, especially the secondary characters like Boq and Nessarose. That lack makes the story a bit flatter and all in all, I think the narrative suffers from having the film split in two. While there is growth in the characters, it requires the audience to have seen the first film. Still, the harmonious and heartfelt performances by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey still make this movie a must see and I enjoyed every second.

If you loved the first film, you will still love the sequel, Wicked: For Good. It has magical performances, especially by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey. Michelle Yeoh is wonderfully evil as Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum is perfectly cast as the Wizard. Melissa Bode and Ethan Slater have great performances as well. The music is catchy, the singing harmonious and I wouldn’t have missed this film for the world.