‘Wicked: For Good’ sticks the landing

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in Wicked: For Good  Universal Pictures | Courtesy

With commendable vocals, beautiful costumes, and endless tearjerking moments, “Wicked: For Good” acts as a touchingly earnest conclusion to the “Wizard of Oz” prequel story.

The sequel focuses on an exiled Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and a newly royal Glinda (Ariana Grande). Amid Elphaba’s quest to enlighten the public about the Wizard’s lies, the pair reunite and reflect on their past.

Both Grande and Erivo deliver masterful performances in this film.

Though Erivo has slightly more screen time and will campaign as the lead actor, Grande emerges as the star of the film. Glinda, on paper, is a very superficial character who lacks the emotional depth of Elphaba. However, Grande created a Glinda that is complex and earnest.

Her ability to deliver an emotional performance, while still maintaining some elements of the self-interested Glinda that appeared in the first film, further makes her performance exceptional. Grande gives several comedic moments as well, but memorably keeps the audience on the verge of tears for many scenes.

Grande also delivers a tremendous vocal performance. Though incredible in her technique, she notably conveys strong emotion throughout the film’s songs.

Erivo gives a similarly impressive performance. With the first film in mind, Erivo’s brilliance is a little less surprising. Still, the difficulty of many of her scenes, which she so effortlessly pulls off, shouldn’t be forgotten.

In the climactic song of “No Good Deed,” she performs the number almost entirely with CGI effects. Yet, she tangibly interacts with the world around her and successfully grounds the grandiose setting. 

Throughout both films, Erivo’s vocals are unparalleled and speak to her genuine gift as a performer.

Elphaba receives a slightly stronger new song in “No Place Like Home.” With this number, Erivo delivers a triumphant solo that adds grit to Elphaba.

In contrast, Glinda’s new song, “The Girl in the Bubble,” is comparatively weak. Grande does give the song life and meaning, but it still lacks memorability or general musicality. The song serves as an example of Grande’s acting chops, where she turns a relatively weak moment into something meaningful.

Glinda and Elphaba’s reunion with “For Good” is expectedly to serve as the film’s highlight.

Still, Grande and Erivo’s acting choices made the moment feel fresh and incredibly touching. In comparison to previous Broadway versions of “For Good,” they both choose more restrained vocals. This makes the number feel far more intimate, emotional, and appropriate for the film version.

Otherwise, the performances of the supporting cast are also strong, but get a little outshined by the utter brilliance of the film’s two stars. Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), does contribute to some pivotal moments in the film. Bode gives a fairly solid performance and creates a very sympathetic villain in Nessarose.

Some of the film’s funniest and strangest moments come from the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). At times, the line between Goldblum and his character is hard to recognize. Goldblum’s eccentricities, however, make for a perfect Wizard.

While the film’s earnest commitment to the world of Oz is commendable, the phrase “clock tick,” used to replace a “second,” becomes a bit much by the end of the film. The film’s most powerful attribute is its universality. With themes of friendship and personal discovery, the few quirky moments can be easily overlooked for a genuinely moving experience.

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