Film Reviews

November 21, 2025

One of the smartest moves that "Wicked: For Good" makes is that it doesn't try to be "The Wizard of Oz," even though it was probably tempting to do so. To be sure, it puts its own spin on the "Oz" lore, but it steers clear of focusing on Dorothy and her journey. In fact, Dorothy and her little dog Toto are mostly obscured and seen from a distance, and as for Dorothy's friends—the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion—the movie supplies them their own unique backstories, which catch us off guard but are nonetheless welcomed and intriguing.

I mention this because I was of the opinion that the first "Wicked," a.k.a. "Wicked: Part I," which I ultimately missed the boat on, tried too hard to live up to its antecedents, namely "The Wizard of Oz" and the stage musical it was based on. I didn't think it established enough of an assured identity, and it played out as if it was constantly seeking audience approval. Clearly, I was in the minority given what a worldwide phenomenon the movie became.

"Wicked: For Good," though, feels less derivative and more assertive than its predecessor, despite the two being shot simultaneously. Perhaps it took the first movie's overwhelmingly positive reception, and maybe some subsequent changes in the editing room, to get "For Good" in, well, a good and better place. It's confident and energetic, and it compiles its resources into a leaner, richer, zestier pop musical, with an assorted amount of humor, action, emotion, and romance. To be clear, it checks the boxes of its genre, but its brightness, vitality, and relatively big swings take it up a level.

The story essentially picks up where "Part I" left off, with the innately powerful, green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the West, still fighting for justice and the rights of animals in the not-so-merry old land of Oz. You'll recall the once-revered Elphaba discovered a nefarious plot to rid Oz of its pigs, goats, bears, lions, mice, etc. She also found out the esteemed and mysterious Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) was a fraud and in cahoots with Shiz University's two-faced professor, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), to ultimately control Oz's population. When Elphaba refused to join their "Animals should be seen and not heard" campaign, Morrible quickly fueled the rumor that her prized pupil, along with her magical abilities, were a threat to the entire Oz community.

Elphaba's only friend through all this drama was and remains Galinda (Ariana Grande), the sparkling and petite wannabe sorceress, who has long dreamed of being popular and adored, and a beacon of hope and good. Indeed, Galinda now goes by Glinda the Good, and she's technically gotten her wish, as she's delegated the official representative—or perhaps mascot is the more appropriate word—of the Wizard, who continues to hide behind a curtain in Emerald City. Morrible even presents Glinda with a mechanized bubble and accompanying wand to make her appearance and faux abilities more official-looking. Glinda would love to believe she's the real deal and that her engagement to Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is rooted in true love and desire instead of optics, but she's not kidding herself. Deep down, she's just as lonely and lost as Elphaba and yearns to be her true self, which involves admitting her powers are make-believe.

Fans of "Wicked" would agree that much of the musical’s fun and appeal stems from it providing a backstory on the "Oz" universe. We get to learn how people and things came to be—The Yellow Brick Road; the aforementioned legacy characters; what led to the untimely demise of Elphaba's sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the East; the twister that brought Dorothy from Kansas to Oz, etc. But while this is all interesting and nostalgic, director Jon M. Chu, working from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, is wise to not let the movie hinge on this trivia. He's careful to make these tidbits supplemental rather than integral.

What gives the movie its heart and soul are Elphaba and Glinda and their everlasting affection for each other. We come to truly care about the ups and downs of their friendship and their playful banter, and we're interested in their flaws. Erivo and Grande once again disappear into their unique characters and convince us of Elphaba and Glinda's deep-rooted connection. "For Good" also ups the ante of their circumstances, as each wrestles with internal and external turmoil. Tough decisions must be made that will inevitably lead to sorrow and regret, and the movie takes the time to see them through. One of these involves Elphaba trying to undo the damage done by Nessarose when it came to the latter's love for Boq Woodsman (Ethan Slater), her loyal munchkin servant whose heart still longs for Glinda.

There are several other mishaps and confrontations that are dramatic and entertaining, which I'll not reveal, but Chu and his team lend them a good amount of depth, urgency, and humanity for a franchise that is probably best known for its spectacle. But if "Wicked" tested the waters and earned the audience's trust on an exhibition level, "For Good" capitalizes on that trust and takes more risks narrative-wise, including certain relationships being established. To be fair to the first "Wicked," "For Good" doesn't have the responsibility of introducing us to this world, so it’s freer to explore and try new things, which I suppose is one of the benefits of being a sequel. It's not often the case, but we’re convinced that breaking the film up into two parts was a wise decision.

Plus, as a standalone movie, "For Good" is just inherently charming, fun, and pure, and editors Myron Kerstein and Tatiana S. Riegel give it a flow and momentum that feel just right for the material and its multiple storylines. It's neither too short nor too long, and the musical numbers work to pad the story instead of overpower it. Some of the stand-out numbers include "Wonderful," an unexpected and vibrant trio sung by the Wizard, Glinda, and Elphaba; "As Long as You're Mine," a profession of love between Elphaba and Fiyero; and Glinda's solemn and reflective "The Girl in the Bubble."

If you were less than enchanted by the first "Wicked," my hunch is that you'll find "Wicked: For Good" more entrancing and meaningful. The filmmakers have found a better stride for realizing the source for the big screen, getting us to see it as its own entity instead of living in the shadows of the films and musicals that came before it. The movie harnesses our knowledge of this world and augments it instead of merely recycling it. Simply, "Wicked: For Good" has a self that it feels comfortable with. If you didn't feel like clapping at the end of the first "Wicked," as I didn't, odds are you'd be more willing at the end of "Wicked: For Good." If you did, there's little reason to think you won't again, but perhaps louder and longer.