Your favorite pink and green duo is back in theaters–the highly anticipated sequel, Wicked: For Good, released this weekend, and is blowing up the box office.
Currently, Wicked: For Good has the second-highest opening weekend this year, just behind A Minecraft Movie, according to Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the finale of a movie left on a cliffhanger. Jonathan Chu, the director of Wicked, split what was originally just one musical into two films, leaving many viewers with Ervio’s powerful rendition of Defying Gravity.
When you sit down to watch the movie, it’s a must to have your popcorn in hand and tissues close by during Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) moment (you’ll know when), and during the heart-wrenching but iconic song sung by Elphaba and Glinda (Ariana Grande), For Good.
As a quick refresh, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Set a few years before the iconic Wizard of Oz, the movie explores the friendship between Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande) before they became known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, respectively.
Navigating the corrupt Wizard of Oz’s rule, opposing views, and a shared love interest, Wicked: For Good is the culmination of the story we all know, but with many unexpected twists and emotionally punchy scenes sure to stick with you long after you leave the theater.
It is based on the Broadway musical Wicked, which is also loosely adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
So far, there have been mixed reviews of the movie, specifically criticizing the differences between the first and second films.
In a review from The Tab, Harrison Brockleburst writes, “It was declared by Chu that they had to have two films because Defying Gravity is such a curtain fall moment that you need a break to go anywhere after it.”
While this was true to an extent, another reason behind the decision to split the film is simple–money. The franchise is already a booming success, so extending the hype for the sake of more sales is arguably a great tactic.
However, many feel it was at the expense of a great, action-packed movie. As Brockleburst wrote, “Now audiences less familiar with Wicked are going to realise what any fan of the show already knew: Act two just isn’t that good.”
The sequel is always trying to be like its older sibling: exciting, fleshed out, and ends with a bang. Due to Chu’s executive decision to split the story into two films, like the two acts of the original musical, the movie’s execution was made more difficult.
Even if you aren’t familiar with the musical, it’s almost a universal experience that the second movie or book doesn’t hit the same way the first one does. Wicked, in particular, has a much darker and complicated second act, however. You might be able to infer what if you know the ending of The Wizard of Oz.
Even so, some reviewers think the directors and actors took on the challenge with a brave face. In Mark Hughes’ piece on the film for Forbes, he wrote, “…by maintaining the momentum of the main story and arcs through the escalating subplot until the two collide at the climax, Wicked: For Good avoids being overtaken by the more familiar children’s story and its popular heroes.”
In the end, Wicked: For Good completes the duology, making it worth watching at least once if you watched the first one. If you’re a long-time fan of Wicked the Musical, then perhaps seeing the movie adaptation will bring peace to your inner theater kid.
And who doesn’t want to see Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sing some of the most iconic songs in musical history? If you don’t like the plot, stay for the singing and dancing!
