Wicked: For Good Review

"I'm off to see the wizard."

Fellow Ozians, we have officially reached the end of the yellow brick road. After a journey through Oz filled with laughter, tears, magic and, most importantly, wickedness, we now have to say goodbye to the movie versions of Elphaba and Glinda.

I went to see Wicked: For Good last night with my best friend, a year after we experienced the first movie. I think it's important to mention that I absolutely loved Wicked. The acting, the production design, the costumes, the directing, the musical numbers, everything in the first movie was absolutely spectacular and beautiful and I, for once, consider it to be as close to a perfect adaptation as possible.

So what did I think of Wicked: For Good?

Unlike the first film, it does have its flaws. This is unsurprising to anyone who has seen the show, as Act 2 is unanimously regarded to be much weaker than Act 1 (and, I mean, really, how are you supposed to follow Defying Gravity?).

The pacing of the script is the biggest flaw in Wicked: For Good. The actual story feels clunky and slow at times, whilst the plot feels rushed. I kept waiting for the film to find its feet but, unfortunately, it never really did. There was also a clear lack of structure in the story; it didn't have a proper beginning, middle and end. The movie felt more like a beginning that never stopped beginning.

One of the loudest criticism on this movie amongst Wicked fans has been that there are a couple of cast members who very clearly cannot sing (but have significant musical moments in Wicked: For Good). I will be completely honest and say that this did not really bother me. Yes, I did notice the difference in vocal capabilites when those individuals sang, but it wasn't so bad that it ruined the movie for me. And both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande more than make up for their casmates with their vocals.

Overall, the story doesn't flow as smoothly as the first part does, and the musical moments, although still really special and magical, do not grab your attention with the same fierncess as the ones in part one do.

But of course, there was so much to love as well about Wicked: For Good.

Ariana Grande

Firstly, I have to jump on the train that everyone else is on: Ariana Grande is absolutely incredible.

We knew what she was capable of from the first movie, but in Wicked: For Good, she manages to humanise and make us root for Glinda in a way that not even the stage adaptation does. In a lot of ways, Wicked: For Good is Glinda's movie, just as Wicked was Elphaba's.

This movie gives Glinda an incredible character arc, allowing us to witness something completely new for her: puting others before herself. By the time the end credits roll, it's hard to imagine the Glinda from this movie as the same one we met on the first day at Shiz. She truly becomes Glinda the Good, not because she wants to, but because Oz needs her to.

Ethan Slater

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the movie for me was Ethan Slater's performance as the Tin Man.

In a movie where you are acting alongside powerhouses such as Jeff Goldblum and Oscar winners such as Michelle Yeoh, to be able to stand out is remarkable.

Ethan Slater brings the Tin Man to life with a performance that evokes anguish, torture and bitterness. He doesn't just play the Tin Man, he becomes him. What's even more impressing, he does all of this whilst in full prosthetics. It takes real talent and dedication to be able to show so much emotion with just your eyes when your entire face is hidden behind makeup and prosthetics. He elevates March of the Witch Hunters to a completely different level, and the scene in which he locks eyes with Glinda sent shivers down my spine.

For Good

Every criticism I had in my mind about the movie went out the window the moment the For Good scene happened.

To paint you a picture: I watched Wicked: For Good in a packed movie theater, with people next to me, behind me and in front of me. You could hear a needle drop in the room when For Good started playing. Even before Ariana sang the first line, I started tearing up. By the time the scene ended, I was crying so hard that I was violently shaking in my seat.

Walking into the cinema, I knew this sequence was going to make me emotional. I knew there were going to be tears, which is why I wore no makeup and brought tissues with me. What I was not prepared for, was the door scene.

The door scene...if you have seen it, you know exactly what I am talking about and you know exactly why it hit me like a ton of bricks emotionally. And if you haven't seen it yet, all I can say is good luck. You will never be the same again.

This scene and this song really encapsulate what Wicked is all about: friendship, love, loss, growth, and forgiveness.

It also includes one of the most touching lines from the movie: "Look at me. Not with your eyes, with theirs."

This leads me nicely into what I think a lot of people want to know: what about Cynthia Erivo? How was her performance?

We've mentioned the story, the pacing, Ariana Grande and even Ethan Slater, we spoke about For Good. But where does Cynthia Erivo stand amongst all of them?

Cynthia Erivo is an incredible, complete performer. We all know how well she can act and sing. And in Wicked, she delivered a nuanced, layered portrayal of Elphaba, one that took us on an emotional journey.

In Wicked: For Good, her performance is more subdued and one-note. That isn't to say that she's not good in the movie, because she is. She is great. But her performance stays at pretty much the same emotional level throughout the movie, which makes Elphaba feel static at times.

I do not blame Cynthia for this, as I think this is most likely a directorial choice. I also don't think we should've seen a huge character arc with her, as that is exactly what happens in part one, when she becomes The Wicked Witch of the West. I do, however, believe there are a few of moments in this movie where her portrayal is too flat for what the character is going through. The best example is when she has the catfight with Glinda. Elphaba has just found out her sister is dead, and her body is buried meters away from her, yet she seems oddly undisturbed.

Her vocals, though, are as strong as ever, and she is part of all the best musical numbers in this movie (No Good Deed, As Long As You're Mine, and For Good). Her chemistry with Ariana Grande is unmatched, just as it was in the first movie.

To wrap this review up, Wicked: For Good is an emotional send off. A flawed one, but nevertheless, one that leaves us in our feelings, grateful to have experienced this magical world of Oz through the eyes of Jon M. Chu.

The two movies are a colossal cinematic achievement and, without trying to sound too cheesy, one that truly changed us all for good.