The embargo has been lifted, and the reviews are officially in for the epic conclusion to Jon M. Chu’s magical Wicked film adaptation.
Over the past year, movie enthusiasts worldwide have anxiously awaited the sequel’s release.
Based on Act Two of the stage musical, Wicked: For Good explores the estranged friendship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) after Elphaba reclaims her power and rebels against the villainous Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum).
Elphaba, now in possession of the Grimmerie, continues her mission to expose the Wizard’s deception and champion the rights of Oz’s animals.
Following Madame Morrible’s (Michelle Yeoh) slander at the end of Part One, however, she has become a social pariah — dubbed “The Wicked Witch of the West.”
At the same time, Glinda has become the “glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz,” living in the Emerald City palace and serving as the friendly spokesperson and defender of the Wizard’s reign.
The synopsis continues: “As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and the Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart.
“The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.”
With the release of Wicked: For Good right around the corner, the critic reviews have started to flow in, and the consensus has been mostly positive.
The film’s production design and cast performances, particularly Erivo and Grande’s final outings as Elphaba and Glinda, were universally praised by critics.
The Metro gave the film four out of five stars, stating that Grande and Erivo were “somehow even better in this second movie, despite having left no room for improvement last time.”
“They nail their characters’ songs once more, but they also have a deeper emotional ground to mine as their friendship is tested further than ever,” they continued.
“It’s evident that director Jon M Chu understands this material inside out, interpreting it, extending it, and improving it alongside credited screenwriters Winnie Holzman (who wrote the original musical book and Dana Fox.”
Deadline also praised the film, calling it a “wicked good time” and describing the visual effects as “first rate.”
“So is this whole splendidly realised and cinematic musical adaptation which, if you add up the running times of both films comes in just two minutes shy of 5(!) hours. To be honest, I wanted more,” they added.
Collider echoed similar sentiments, describing it as a “loyal adaptation that works from the first film while leaning into its lead performances.”
“The characters are more mature and nuanced, making it a worthy successor to the first film,” they added.
While the majority of Wicked: For Good reviews have been positive, some critics felt the sequel’s pacing, tone, and overall story stumbled compared to its 2024 predecessor.
Empire Magazine described the movie’s second batch of songs as “simply not as good” as Wicked: Part One, adding that Act Two of the stage musical suffered the same problem.
“The opening is fun and fast, establishing the literal witch hunt now dominating Oz. But it quickly becomes clear that the tone is different from that of the first film: less peppy, more glum,” they said.
“Compounding this tonal shift is the fact that the songs are simply not as good. It was a problem on stage and it’s a problem on screen… Not quite over the rainbow, then, but just enough of its colours and candour to get by.”
Digital Spy echoed similar sentiments, writing: “For some fans, it might be enough to get more of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s excellent performances that confirm they were perfect casting for the roles. For others, though, Wicked: For Good won’t prove to be quite as wonderful as the first movie.”
As of this writing, Wicked: For Good holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 97% Popcornmeter rating.
Wicked: For Good will be released in theatres worldwide on 21 November.
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