Wicked was both a box office hit and a pleasant surprise for this reviewer last year, so the anticipated conclusion of the franchise is quite the curiosity. Can director Jon M. Chu stick the landing? Will stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande follow-up their Oscar nominated performances with something equally as good as bring home the gold this year?
Wicked: For Good picks up after the events of the first film with Elphaba (Erivo) living in hiding in the Ozian forest, now being dubbed the Wicked Witch by Oz (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) in a propaganda campaign to paint her as public enemy number one in Oz. Meanwhile, Glinda (Grande) has been crowned the Good Witch by Oz and the Madame, residing at the palace in Emerald City, reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Elphaba must fight the Wizard’s campaign to save Oz from his terror before he gets to her first.
The first iteration of this film franchise took a thematic focus on prejudice and bigotry through the treatment of Elphaba and Oz’s animal population and For Good continues with the exploration of topical social commentary, this time focusing on the nature of authoritarianism. From the opening scene of the film we’re shown the propaganda campaign that the Wizard and Madame Morrible have launched against Elphaba, dubbing her the Wicked Witch and papering Oz with flyers and posters warning of the threat she poses to the city. This is immediately contrasted with a positive propaganda campaign for Glinda, who is being juxtaposed to Elphaba’s Wicked Witch as her good counterpart for Oz to rally around.
It’s a succinct and direct commentary on the nature of authoritarian regimes, one sure to resonate with For Good viewers during the current moment in the politics of the western world. As viewers of the previous film are aware of the true nature of the leadership of Oz and Elphaba’s reason for opposing them, it presents the differing propaganda and the populace’s reaction to it in a way that sparks reflection on viewers’ real life biases and reaction to what they’re presented. After all, if you don’t have the advantage of having the full context and backstory as you do in a film, who’s to say what you’re being convinced of that isn’t necessarily true? The people of Oz trust the Wizard to protect them and will offer whatever support is needed to see that they remain safe. If Elphaba, sans context, rains terror on the city and the wizard says her aim is to kill, of course they will be susceptible to following behind what they’re told. If Glinda is presented as a good alternative with a convenient backstory serving as a perfect foil, that neat little bow is hard to resist. It’s how authoritarians hold onto and expand their power and influence, subverting truth and creating narratives, all summarized in twenty minutes in a glossy, musical film. A testament to the screenwriting from tandem Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox and the direction of Chu.
The promise of For Good’s strong and intriguing social commentary of the film’s first hour however gives way to a second half that feels like a slightly rushed conclusion that is meant to finally wrap things up rather than expand upon a story with more to say. It was decided before the release of the first film that Wicked would be split into two separate films, ostensibly to ensure that no songs would be cut and for the full story to be told similarly to the two act play the movies are based on. And while the character development is present in the second half as we see the conclusion of Glinda and Elphaba relationship and Glinda’s growth as the conflicted propaganda figure for Oz, the plot is thin as it veers away from substance and relies more on the familiar and nostalgic when the classic characters from The Wizard of Oz appear. It is here that plot points feel rushed and like a series of checked boxes more than an interesting story being told. There’s enough good contained therein and goodwill for the characters that viewers aren’t totally disinvested, but the film does hit a slight lull.
The two biggest reasons why this is so are the extremely strong performances from Erivo and Grande. Both have a chance to shine evenly, operating more as co- leads rather than one lead character and one supporting character. Erivo’s rendition of “No Good Deed” is sure to please most hardcore fans and serve as her Academy Award nomination argument. Her arc in the film is as emotional as in the first film and she equals her performance there in both song and acting. If the first film belonged to Erivo, the second one is clearly Grande’s as Glinda exhibits the most character growth in this rendition. Grande capture the conflicted nature of Glinda as she relishes in being the face of good witchcraft in Oz with a storybook but Wizard manufactured romance with Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) while also mourning the estrangement of her friend Elphaba and the danger she faces. Her strongest portrayal of this happens during her solo musical number “I Couldn’t Be Happier.” Grande captures her character’s inner struggle perfectly during the song; happy on the surface but with a bit of trepidation and worry just underneath and visible on her face. It’s subtlety that captures Glinda perfectly. The quality of the musical numbers in For Good are worthy of mention in general, perfectly paced and well integrated in the film in a way that serves and advances both the narrative and character motivations and mind states without appearing too frequently. The visual effects and production design also carry over in quality from the first film, remaining a marvel to observe.
Wicked: For Good starts out with a full head of steam but suffers a bit from being split into two separate two plus hour films and ends off feeling slightly rushed and superfluous. Luckily for the film, it has casted its leads superbly and the performances of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are able to carry it over the finish line and cover for any flaws or fumes its second half runs on. The songs hardcore fans love are here and done well and it’s also still a good looking film. While its replay value may be up in the air for some, it’s sure to satisfy those who both love the franchise and are curious to see how it ends.
Image: Universal Pictures
