Movie Review – Wicked: For Good

I’m not sure how much time has passed in Oz between the first and second film. Some say five years while others insist that it happens directly after. I, for one, think the time is somewhere in the middle. It takes time for a government to propagandize people against someone the way they did with Elphaba. Also, these characters did not go directly from half a year of school to full time government jobs now did they?

This sequel finds the animals terrified and leaving Oz, Glinda and Fiyero engaged, Madame Morrible using Glinda to her own advantage, and Nessa a Mayor of Munchkin Land with Boq as her assistant. When Boq wants to return to Glinda, Nessa’s heart breaks. When she tries to read from the Grimmerie, she ends up making Boq’s heart disappear. Elphaba’s fix keeps him alive, but as the angry, heartless man made of tin. This continues the theme of being careful what you wish and not doing magic unless you are prepared for the consequences for from the first film.

Other themes prevalent here are those of getting all sides of the story before making judgement. Elphaba’s reputation suffers from the constant onslaught of “She’s a Witch!” signage and news from the Wizard’s office. Everyone blindly believes this because they are also being told that Glinda is good, not the imperfect woman incapable of creating any kind of magic herself. Glinda may be good, but she also is complicit in Elphaba’s shaming and in turning a blind eye to what is going on right in front of her. Is it even her fault? She was taught at a young age to smile. Smile and look pretty and everyone will love you as long as you don’t speak up. Being a woman in Oz is really no different than being a woman in the real world, it would seem. Stand up for what you believe in and everyone chooses to believe the worst in you.

There was talk from some critics saying the music in the second half of Wicked was not as good as the first half, but I don’t agree. I find the songs For Good and I’m Not That Girl to be my favorite musical numbers. You can all keep Popular and Defying Gravity. I love them too, but love a couple other numbers more.

I find Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and many of the cast to be so very superb in both of these films. I will say that I believe that Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh, whom I love and adore in almost everything, are both miscast in this. Neither can sing which is an error when casting such a popular musical. I was okay with Michelle Yeoh until she sang, and it was only one line. It was so off key that my ears might have started bleeding had she continued. I’m glad she didn’t. Goldblum treats the Wizard almost like a joke but maybe that’s the point. He does need the machinery to be believable as the Wizard so maybe he felt without the mask he could just be ridiculous.

Costuming and hair and makeup are at the top of their game, surely to be in the hunt for those Oscars come awards season. The production design as a whole is beautiful. A decent mix of actual sets and CGI, though I wish there were more real sets and a little less green screen. It is a fantastical story in a fantastical setting and the film should look it so I’m not going to complain too much. I hope they kept the practical sets, though. Make them into tourist sites or something. Get some actual use out of them.

I do want to make one comment on Fiyero, and if you don’t know what happens to him skip ahead. I don’t want to spoil it for you. I warned you. After Elphaba turns him into the Scarecrow and he comes for her in the tower after everyone thinks she has died, I found myself wondering how they plan on, you know, being physical. He is a guy made of straw, after all. Don’t get me wrong – I know this isn’t the point of the story. I love that they end up together and that they have a chance at being happy. Perhaps I should finish the book that sits half read on my shelf and find out. wink wink

4 out of 5 stars. I can’t wait for them to release the two disc box set of these two films so I can watch them together. I love them so much.