Despite Wicked’s success, its sequel, Wicked: For Good, fails to deliver the same magic as its predecessor.
While the film expands Oz visually and deepens its darker themes, it loses much of the emotional spark that made the first movie so compelling.
One of the sequel’s biggest flaws is the separation of Elphaba and Glinda for much of the runtime. In Wicked, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s on-screen dynamic was central to the story, with their bond carrying the central theme of friendship. In Wicked: For Good, their separation weakens that core relationship and leaves the emotional stakes lower than before.
Musically, the sequel also struggles to match the impact of Wicked. While the second half introduces two new songs, they do not reach the emotional or musical highs of the original soundtrack. The songs mostly serve to move the plot forward and don’t capture the memorability or intensity of songs like “Defying Gravity” or “Popular.”
However, the music still appealed in some ways.
“[The new songs] fit in really well with the original Wicked songs,” said Chetan Gowda, a senior who has seen the musical Wicked. “[They]didn’t sound out of place at all.”
However, even with their smooth integration, the music overall feels less powerful than the first movie’s standout numbers.
Visually, Wicked: For Good remains stunning and a perfect homage to the original Wizard of Oz. The film takes full advantage of its cinematic format with complete sets and beautiful detail. The Emerald City, the Wizard’s workshop, and even the Yellowbrick Road all felt expansive and immersive.
Gowda pointed out the set during the song “Wonderful.”
“The rainbow lights filling the castle made that scene feel magical and important,” said Gowda.
The film’s darker themes are handled thoughtfully, even with the dramatic shift from the first movie. With a longer run time, the characters were able to go through better character development and natural changes before arriving at their often tragic states. However, the contrast with the magical feeling of the first movie can make the darker moments feel out of place.
Another area where the sequel succeeds is in its connection to The Wizard of Oz. The reveals of the Tin Man and the Scarecrow are given lots of emotional weight, and the film makes its ties to the original story clear. Gowda said he preferred these reveals in the movie over the musical.
“The movie had more time to build up to it,” Gowda said. “It made it more emotional.”
Ultimately, Wicked: For Good is a visually beautiful film that continues to expand the world of Wicked. However, without the combination of its central characters and departure from the vibrancy that made Wicked stand out, the movie loses much of its magic.
*Opinions expressed in this article represent the views of the editorial staff and not necessarily those of the school population or administration.
