Wicked: For Good: Movie Review

Cast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey
Director: Jon M Chu

Picking up at the end of Wicked, Wicked: For Good plunges us straight back into the world of Oz. With Elphaba (Erivo, soulful and earnest) outcast and turned into a symbol of hate by the snake-like Morrible (Yeoh), Glenda (Grande, muted compared to the first) has been made into a figurehead of good to manipulate the populace.

But as the hunt for Elphaba continues, Glinda's forced to choose what's best as Elphaba heads on a collision course with the wizard of Oz (a usually eccentric Goldblum).

Not much really happens in the back part of the two films and there's a distinct feeling at times of scenes being pulled together with only the thinnest of threads. Many come together in a piecemeal fashion, leaving the film feeling episodic in parts, rather than cohesive.

Plus once again,it doesn't really seem to know how to treat its wheelchair-bound witch of the east, a problem that was obvious in the first, but may be due to the musical's script as well. It's just a shame Chu didn't look to rework this narrative for better effect.

There's also a distinct feeling that it lacks a big show-stopping number in the conclusion, something which leads to a feeling of a more perfunctory film in its narrative. Emotional moments that should hit hard often land with the thud of a flying monkey robbed of its wings. Often, the emotion comes from actors staring at the screen looking sad, rather than investment in the story and the consequences of actions.

Where Wicked: For Good does soar though is in its production's execution. Visually the film is nothing short of exceptional, a technicolor-manifesting spectacle of epic proportions.

From a truly surprising origin to the Tin Man to some musical numbers which are elevated by what's around them, via some impressively rendered elements of Oz, director Jon M Chu has a solid grasp on what can cause the script to lift above its more grounded and slight elements.

Ultimately, Wicked: For Good will appeal to fans who've enjoyed the first and whilst it feels like the lesser of the two films, that genuinely seems a source material issue, rather than an execution problem.

It's just a shame that this doesn't defy gravity and soar as much as it could.