In Review: Wicked For Good – Beautiful, Imperfect, Still Powerful Defying Expectations… or Just Coasting on the High Notes? by Sophie Harper December 8, 2025 Spread the love Synopsis: Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical. Review: A year after Wicked rekindled the emerald-tinted hype, Wicked: For Good lands to wrap up the story with soaring vocals, moral complication, and enough sparkles to blind a Munchkin. The question is: does this finale stick the broom landing, or does it wobble into melodrama like a flying monkey with vertigo? The Story Wicked: For Good picks up exactly where Part One left off — the corridors of Oz brimming with unrest, guilt, and the uneasy shimmer of revolution. The story wastes no time diving into Elphaba and Glinda’s fractured relationship, the fallout of political manipulation, and the consequences of freedom won at a terrible cost. Where the first film was largely an origin tale with pop-musical gloss, Part Two shifts into a more grounded and emotionally driven mode. And by “grounded,” I mean we’re still talking about a green witch defying oppressive institutions and belting high-C notes, but the stakes feel sharper. The film leans harder into themes of propaganda, state power, and what it means to rewrite history — which would feel bold… if the script didn’t occasionally flinch at its own implications. There are satisfying moments: Elphaba’s arc comes full circle in a way that honours both the stage musical and the 2003 novel, and Glinda’s moral growth is treated with more maturity than expected. But the pacing? Uneven. The film’s middle act drags like a broom across wet cobblestone, only to suddenly sprint in the final 25 minutes. Still, the emotional payoff works — even when it’s a bit heavy-handed — and longtime fans will sniffle, gasp, and whisper “I knew it!” at all the right beats. The Acting Cynthia Erivo once again proves she was genetically engineered for musical theatre. Her performance here is not just strong — it borders on mythic. Her final scenes as Elphaba are raw, aching, and often electrifying enough to make you forget she’s surrounded by CGI and pastel-coloured extras. Ariana Grande takes a big step up from Part One, showing far more nuance and restraint as Glinda. Her comedic beats still land, but it’s her quieter, guilt-laced moments that finally give the character real weight. Jonathan Bailey is a standout again as Fiyero, delivering a charismatic performance that makes his arc more compelling than the script really earns. Michelle Yeoh is wonderfully icy in her expanded role, radiating regal menace with every syllable. Jeff Goldblum continues to be Jeff Goldblum — which is exactly why he fits in Oz. The supporting cast is strong across the board, although a few emotional subplots are resolved at a rapid pace, making them feel somewhat underdeveloped. Overall Oz is bigger, brighter, and occasionally too polished. The CGI ranges from breathtaking (Elphaba’s escape sequences, Glinda’s carriage scenes) to “ah, yes, the classic PS5 cutscene aesthetic.” Some crowd shots carry that familiar uncanny sheen, and the magical effects can feel over-processed. But when it works, it really works. The visual scale is ambitious, and several action-light sequences feel genuinely immersive. The stunts are minimal, but the physicality of Erivo’s performance and a few sweeping chase moments give the film just enough dynamism to balance the musical theatre core. Musically, this film is the stronger half of the duology. The arrangements swell, the harmonies hit harder, and the new orchestrations make familiar songs feel fresh without disrespecting the original material. “For Good” is, predictably, the emotional wrecking ball of the film, and the duet between Erivo and Grande finally delivers the gravity fans hoped for. There are fewer new songs, but the reprises are thoughtful rather than lazy, and the score pulls the entire narrative together with a cleaner, more satisfying arc than the screenplay manages on its own. If you’re here for the music — congratulations, this is the part that absolutely soars. Wicked: For Good doesn’t surpass its first half, but it deepens it. The emotional beats land, the performances shine, and the musical moments are often stunning. The story stumbles in pacing and occasionally shies away from the sharper edges of its themes, but as a finale to a beloved musical saga, it delivers enough spectacle and heart to satisfy fans. Is it perfect? No.Does it cast a spell anyway? Mostly, yes. Glinda would call it “good.”Elphaba would call it “necessary.”And audiences will likely call it “worth the wait.” 8.5 Source: https://www.scifipulse.net/in-review-wicked-for-good-beautiful-imperfect-still-powerful/