Not Nearly As Spectacular As Its Predecessor, But Probably As Good As It Could Have Been Considering The Circumstances
I came to this Wicked franchise via a bit of an odd path. I tried the novel long ago and disliked it so much I never saw the stage play (my loss, I know). But when Wicked (part 1) came to theaters in 2024, I absolutely loved it. The Glinda & Elphaba chemistry utterly entranced me and the college roommate or relationship metaphor was my "way in" to those characters. Having it set in perhaps the most recognizable cinematic universe of all time (that of The Wizard of Oz) was simply a bonus.
Of course, even folks like me who haven't seen the Broadway production likely know that one of its criticisms is how front-loaded the great songs and material are. So, I was very interested to see how this would be handled here by director Jon M. Chu. While it certainly did not rise anywhere near the heights of its 2024 predecessor, Wicked: For Good was probably about the best it could be all things considered.
For a very basic overview, For Good picks up some time after the dramatic finale of Wicked. Elphie (Cynthia Erivo) continues her quest to free the animals of Oz while being smeared by The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) in the court of public opinion. Glinda (Ariana Grande) is capitulating with that establishment, yet also still trying to recruit her once-dear friend back into the fold. All the while, a gingham-wearing girl from Kansas approaches the Emerald City.
I'll start with the positives here, which are mainly the scenes in which Erivo & Grande appear together. Those still crackle with the chemistry seen in the first film. If not needing to follow the basic strictures of a novel and a play, there's a version of For Good (perhaps a better version, if only for me) where this relationship is again the centerpiece. Sort of a "how to navigate adult friendship from very different perspectives" continuation of the original's thematics.
But of course, the back-half of this Wicked tale is required to do so much more, and that's where I stumble on it a bit:
-As For Good pushed further towards The Wizard of Oz material, I floated further away from it. I know that is sort of what this whole enterprise is set up to accomplish, but I think there's a case to be made that the Glinda & Elphaba relationship should have been front and center throughout.
-Having major plot and character themes turn on what is essentially a childish love triangle surrounding Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is also problematic. This is Twilight or Hunger Games-esque material, not something to lean on in such a story of female empowerment. But again, such material was handled with less care in the early-00s when the stage lights came on. I just wish that angle could have either been backgrounded or simply done with more nuance here.
-One's overall enjoyment of For Good may turn on whether Glinda's character journey is believable. Has she really learned some lessons from her relationship with Elphaba? That is certainly a rough sketch of what the endgame wants you to feel--but does the two hr & 15 min film do enough to make it legit? I'd argue: No. It spends too much time on jealous catfighting (in one case literally) and Oz lore to elevate Glinda's final turn.
I realize this is a tricky line of criticism that is very centric on my unique path through the franchise. But whereas Wicked was once more of an "Oz vehicle" than anything else, I think perhaps it has matured into a Glinda/Elphaba story over time. All of that excellent material was able to be expanded upon in 2024's Wicked, but largely fell by the wayside (but for a song/moment or two) in For Good. As such, while hard-core lovers of The Wizard of Oz lore and visuals will likely appreciate this finale more than me, those who wanted believable or legitimate Glinda/Elphaba character resolution may leave the theater feeling slightly wanting.
Of course, even folks like me who haven't seen the Broadway production likely know that one of its criticisms is how front-loaded the great songs and material are. So, I was very interested to see how this would be handled here by director Jon M. Chu. While it certainly did not rise anywhere near the heights of its 2024 predecessor, Wicked: For Good was probably about the best it could be all things considered.
For a very basic overview, For Good picks up some time after the dramatic finale of Wicked. Elphie (Cynthia Erivo) continues her quest to free the animals of Oz while being smeared by The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) in the court of public opinion. Glinda (Ariana Grande) is capitulating with that establishment, yet also still trying to recruit her once-dear friend back into the fold. All the while, a gingham-wearing girl from Kansas approaches the Emerald City.
I'll start with the positives here, which are mainly the scenes in which Erivo & Grande appear together. Those still crackle with the chemistry seen in the first film. If not needing to follow the basic strictures of a novel and a play, there's a version of For Good (perhaps a better version, if only for me) where this relationship is again the centerpiece. Sort of a "how to navigate adult friendship from very different perspectives" continuation of the original's thematics.
But of course, the back-half of this Wicked tale is required to do so much more, and that's where I stumble on it a bit:
-As For Good pushed further towards The Wizard of Oz material, I floated further away from it. I know that is sort of what this whole enterprise is set up to accomplish, but I think there's a case to be made that the Glinda & Elphaba relationship should have been front and center throughout.
-Having major plot and character themes turn on what is essentially a childish love triangle surrounding Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is also problematic. This is Twilight or Hunger Games-esque material, not something to lean on in such a story of female empowerment. But again, such material was handled with less care in the early-00s when the stage lights came on. I just wish that angle could have either been backgrounded or simply done with more nuance here.
-One's overall enjoyment of For Good may turn on whether Glinda's character journey is believable. Has she really learned some lessons from her relationship with Elphaba? That is certainly a rough sketch of what the endgame wants you to feel--but does the two hr & 15 min film do enough to make it legit? I'd argue: No. It spends too much time on jealous catfighting (in one case literally) and Oz lore to elevate Glinda's final turn.
I realize this is a tricky line of criticism that is very centric on my unique path through the franchise. But whereas Wicked was once more of an "Oz vehicle" than anything else, I think perhaps it has matured into a Glinda/Elphaba story over time. All of that excellent material was able to be expanded upon in 2024's Wicked, but largely fell by the wayside (but for a song/moment or two) in For Good. As such, while hard-core lovers of The Wizard of Oz lore and visuals will likely appreciate this finale more than me, those who wanted believable or legitimate Glinda/Elphaba character resolution may leave the theater feeling slightly wanting.
- zkonedog
- 26 nov 2025