“Wicked: For Good” hit theaters on Nov. 21. The film is a sequel to “Wicked” and was released only a year after its predecessor. Directed by Jon M. Chu, “Wicked: For Good” represents the second act of the Broadway musical and explores Elphaba and Glinda’s diverging paths in Oz. Glinda adopts her newly appointed role of “Glinda the Good” and gives Ozians hope amongst the attacks of The Wicked Witch of the West whereas Elphaba makes desperate attempts to prove to Oz that The Wizard is not who he claims to be. In doing so, she garners the title of “The Wicked Witch of the West.”

The film deepens the emotional and political tensions of the first installment and pushes both main characters to confront the consequences of power, loyalty and the narratives built around them. This film has a much moodier- almost darker tone to it and was executed greatly. Personally, I think the first film was the better out of the two. However, act one of “Wicked” has notoriously been known to be the better section since the show opened on Broadway in 2003. 

One of the main standouts in this film is the breathtaking costume and production design. This was no surprise to me since “Wicked” was nominated for both Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the 2024 Academy Awards; however, it was amazing to see all the elements come together and really prove that the stakes were higher this time around. Prior to the films release, Chu revealed in an interview with Screen Rant that the Tin Man and Scarecrow, visually, were not CGI, but created entirely by the hair and makeup team. Which when looking at the characters, viewers can really see the talent, dedication and skill that was put into this project.

Another standout is the vocal talent from the cast. Well… except for Michelle Yeoh. But I was able to overlook it due to her characterization of Madame Morrible- which I found rather strong in contrast to her singing! All of the songs from the second act are represented beautifully. With the main standouts including “Thank Goodness”, “No Good Deed”, “As Long As You’re Mine” and “For Good”. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are true powerhouses of talent and I’m manifesting that they get those Oscar’s this time around. 

Additionally, the supporting cast did a phenomenal job with reprising their roles and adapting to the changes that the second act presents to their characters. Ethan Slater did a great job as Boq, and I thought his transformation scene into the Tin Man was especially strong. He was able to show a night-and-day difference between meek act one Boq and somber act two Boq, which many people online found surprising. Regardless of his freaky blue contacts, Jonathan Bailey’s acting literally had me thinking I was watching Bridgerton all over again. (Hello “As Long As You’re Mine!) I found his scene during “Thank Goodness” where he’s talking to Glinda behind the wall to be especially strong. You felt like going through the seven stages of grief with him as he’s confronted with the reality of the situation.

All in all, “Wicked: For Good” really delivers on the epic and thrilling conclusion that audiences were promised initially. It succeeds not just as the second act of “Wicked”,  but as a reminder that musical adaptations don’t get better than this. It’s a finale that feels sincere, emotional and worth the wait.