“Wicked: For Good” was released to theaters Nov. 21, marking a stunning conclusion to the two-part saga.
Where last year’s film reintroduced Oz with a glossy spectacle and familiar musical charm, the second installment shifts its focus to consequence. What began as a story about two young women caught in the pull of destiny now emerges as an examination of how myths are made — by fear, loyalty and the uncomfortable truth that good intentions rarely survive untouched.
Director Jon M. Chu returns with a steadier, more deliberate approach. Gone are the jewel-toned landscapes and whimsical diversions that colored the first film. In their place is an Oz dimmed by unrest; its political machinery grinding forward as misinformation spreads and allegiances fracture. The tonal shift may surprise those expecting another buoyant fantasy, or those who are unfamiliar with the musical, but it serves this chapter well.
Cynthia Erivo anchors the film with a performance even stronger than the first. Her Elphaba is still fierce, but the spark of idealism that defined her early story has faded into something quieter and more wounded. Arguably the strongest part of the film, she performs “No Good Deed” with frustrated determination. Erivo’s voice drives much of the film’s emotional weight, resisting the temptation to make Elphaba a martyr or monster and instead grounding her as someone who has simply run out of road.
Ariana Grande’s Glinda undergoes a more subtle transformation. Still polished and luminous, she moves through the film like someone performing the version of herself expected by a panicking nation. Grande plays her inner conflict with restraint, allowing Glinda’s composure to slip only in carefully measured beats. The result is a character who has grown beyond the wide-eyed optimism of Part One; still charming, but softened by guilt and shaken by what loyalty now demands of her.
Ethan Slater, however, is the film’s unexpected standout. Returning as Boq, he brings an unexpected dynamism that elevates the few scenes he appears in. What was once a smaller, almost peripheral presence in the first film becomes a fully realized character here. Slater’s timing — both comedic and emotional — sharpens the film’s middle stretch, and his commitment to Boq’s transformation gives the story a welcome jolt of energy. In a film dominated by its two powerhouse leads, it’s refreshing to see how a smaller character is able to surprise the audience.
Visually, the film trades spectacle for mood. Even the colorful hues of “Wonderful” feel dull in comparison to the first film. Emerald City’s brightness is replaced by shadows and washed-out color grading; a reminder that the story is edging closer to the timeline audiences know from “The Wizard of Oz.” While some audience members criticized the dullness, the shift works more often than it falters. While some sequences feel less vibrant than their musical counterparts, others benefit from the tighter focus and muted aesthetic. Chu’s sweeping style remains, but this time the camera lingers more on faces than architecture.
Like its predecessor, “For Good” adapts Stephen Schwartz’s score with an eye toward emotional clarity rather than theatrical exuberance. Big numbers are still present, but they land differently here; more quiet and internal. The iconic “For Good” musical performance becomes the heart of the film, not through vocal showmanship, but through stillness. Chu resists the urge to inflate the moment, letting the shared silence between Erivo and Grande do the work. The performance gave the stage version a run for its money, capturing beautifully the fragile grief of a friendship that will never be the same.
Where the film stumbles is its pacing. The middle stretch moves confidently, layering tension and deepening relationships, but the final act rushes to align itself with Oz’s established lore. Secondary characters prominent earlier in the story fade too quickly as the film hurries toward familiar landmarks. The narrowing focus isn’t inherently harmful, but it flattens some arcs that once promised complexity.
Still, the film never loses sight of its emotional core. Even at its most uneven, “Wicked: For Good” treats its characters with compassion, acknowledging the impossible positions they occupy. It understands that the transformation from girl to witch, from friend to legend, is not a single moment but a slow erosion shaped by public fear and private grief.
For longtime fans, the film offers closure with a bittersweet edge. For newcomers, it provides a resonant reminder that history rarely remembers who someone was, only what they became. Either way, the land of Oz will never look quite the same.
