Wicked: for good struggles to live up to the first film’s success

After the long-awaited anticipation, Wicked, the Oscar winning Broadway musical movie, brings its second act to the screen, but not everything lives up to its hype.  

Following the successful release of Wicked in 2024, which was the highest grossing movie based on a Broadway musical, the sequel was released on November 21^st. However, Wicked: for good did not receive as much praise or produced the same level of success as the first film. This was partially because it lacked chart-topping musical hit songs.  

Wicked: For Good, the second part of the Broadway musical adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu, was released in November, continuing the story after the events of the first movie. Following the two main characters Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) as they take very different paths after their encounter with the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). 

In Wicked: For Good, Elphaba finds herself in serious trouble after becoming part of a scheming trap created by the Wizard and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Both characters have lots of influence over the citizens and are known for using their power to manipulate others, silence animals, and take away citizens’ rights. As a result of this scandal, the public misunderstood Elphaba and gains a negative reputation, while Glinda becomes more of a positive public image and steps into her role as “Glinda the Good.” This contrast between the two characters becomes an important part of the story and shows how a public view can shape someone’s identity. 

The original Wicked movie was a big hit with its iconic songs such as Elphaba’s “Defying Gravity” and Glinda’s “popular.”  Because these songs where such big hits the audience had a high expectation for the sequel. While Wicked: for Good does include several well produced songs, they never reached the same level of success and impact as the songs in the first film.  Most of the songs in Wicked: For Good lacked the emotional depth and catchiness of the original soundtrack, although the songs where good I believe because of the huge success of the original movie it was hard or impossible to match the standard of the first film. 

Another issue with this sequel is its pacing and lack of structure. The film feels slightly too long although the story tries to incorporate an important theme and growth of the characters. Unlike the original Broadway act, the decision to split the story into two full-length films causes the sequel to rely on filler scenes and back-flash moments. These moments make the film feel slowed down and weakened the as well as the overall tension. This makes it harder for the audience to stay engaged and keep focus throughout the film. A better pacing could have improved the film’s flow and made the story feel more structured. 

Despite these flaws, the final song, “For Good,” stands out the most as a musical moment in the film. Unlike the other songs, “For Good” supports the film’s central theme of friendship. It highlights how people come in our lives for a reason. And as simple as friendships and crossed path can change someone. Having such a meaningful song at the end of the film helps give audiences an impactful scene. 

Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Elphaba is one of the films strengths, she brings an emotional depth to the character as the antagonist making her character feel more relatable to the audience.  This brings thought to the typical good guy, bad guy film plots where there is a clear line between who is on which side.  Through Cynthia’s effective acting and singing it really allowed the audience to feel Elphaba’s inner conflict allowing the audience to understand the inner struggles she is going through.  The strong performance by Cynthia really helps balance the films slower pacing and helps keep the viewers emotionally invested. 

On the other hand, with Ariana Grande’s role as Glinda the Good, we also get to see a significant amount of character development from the first film, the sequel shows that her character becomes more complex and no longer just about popularity. With greater influence, Glinda gains power and status as the Good Witch. This shift adds more maturity and depth to her character. Grande’s portrayal makes Glinda’s journey feel real and engaging for the audience, especially Glinda’s bubbly and lively charm feel very authentic with Grandes’ natural charisma as she shows moments of regret which highlight the responsibilities that come with her choices. 

Although the premise and the musical numbers of the movie was not as strong as the original. The standout performance between the two leading actors ultimately carries the film, keeping the audience entertained and proposing the question of what it really means to be good or bad. 

Cover image: Universal pictures Canada