David R. Walker

Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Colman Domingo, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James

Running Time: 2 hours and 17 minutes

Film Rating: 8 out of 10  

Crazy, Rich Asians and In The Heights director Jon M. Chu directs an elegant sequel to Wicked in Wicked: For Good set again in Oz. This time Ariana Grande steals the limelight in her sparkling pink bubble as the ultimate fairy Glinda. Although she is a witch, she is the Good witch and her opposite Elphaba expertly played again by Cynthia Erivo is being demonised in the land of Oz by Madame Morible, master manipulator played by Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) who is convincing the general vibrant population that Elphaba is indeed the wicked witch of the west.

As the dynamic between Glinda and Elphaba is heightened by the announcement of the wedding between Glinda and the extremely handsome and buff Fiyero played by Jonathan Bailey, the Wizard of Oz wonderfully played by Jeff Goldblum is hiding a dark secret in which Elphaba is determined to uncover.

Wicked: For Good is an excellent musical film with exceptionally high production values, gorgeous costumes by Oscar winning costume designer Paul Tazewell (Wicked) and extravagant production design by Nathan Crowley yet it is a far different film to Wicked.

Firstly, Wicked was all about Elphaba while Wicked: For Good is all about Glinda and Ariana Grande deserves another Oscar nomination for her brilliant portrayal of that brittle and demanding princess that is Glinda whose pink bubble gets rightly pricked when Fiyero leaves her at the altar for her nemesis.

In the midst of all the chaos at Oz, Madame Morible creates a hurricane which naturally brings in Dorothy fresh from Kansas along with the Tin Man and Scarecrow who all proceed down the yellow brick road to pander to the wishes of the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy unknowingly stole Elphaba’s dead sister’s sparkling ruby slippers.

Interestingly the arrival of Dorothy is not the focal point of Wicked: For Good it is more of a side story. We catch glimpses of Dorothy in a closet, running along the yellow brick road and hell bent on destroying Elphaba. Remember this is the back story of The Wizard of Oz. Jon M. Chu pays cinematic homage to the infamous 1939 Oscar winning film The Wizard of Oz but he doesn’t remake that story. That’s a classic best left untouched.

Wicked: For Good focuses on the bizarre love triangle between Glinda, Elphaba and Fiyero but of the three it is by far Glinda that steals this gorgeous show.  

The musical numbers in Wicked: For Good are well-executed, definitely appealing to those that love big Hollywood musicals. This film sequel should do well at the 2026 Oscar nominations.

Wicked: For Good is a truly magical film which is high value entertainment best seen on the biggest screen possible. Ariana Grande is absolutely superb in this film upstaging Dorothy and coming to terms with Elphaba’s unrelenting power.

Highly recommended viewing for those that loved the first film, Wicked: For Good gets a film rating of 8 out of 10. Magical, enchanting and definitely entertaining.

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