'Wicked: For Good' Review: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo work their magic in a darker final act

The witches are backmost to decorativeness what they started.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reprise their roles arsenic Elphaba and Glinda successful "Wicked: For Good," the decision to past year's container bureau hit. "Wicked," adapted from the Broadway philharmonic and based connected Gregory Maguire's 1995 phantasy novel, tells the communicative of the Wicked Witch of the West starring up to the events of "The Wizard of Oz" — but the Wicked Witch of the West isn't evil. In fact, she's a heroine, an outcast successful nine for her greenish tegument lone to go a almighty sorceress warring against injustice successful Oz.

Universal Pictures raised eyebrows erstwhile it announced it was releasing the philharmonic adaptation into 2 parts, thing that's ne'er been done before. Classic musicals similar "My Fair Lady," "The Sound of Music" and "Fiddler connected the Roof" had astir three-hour moving times but included an intermission.

Meanwhile, the archetypal "Wicked," which depicted Act I, had a two-hour and 40-minute moving clip (roughly the magnitude of the full signifier philharmonic — including the intermission!) and "For Good," which covers Act II, is different 2 hours and 18 minutes, and is inactive much than doubly arsenic agelong arsenic Act II connected Broadway.

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L to R: Ariana Grande is Glinda and Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba successful "Wicked: For Good," directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)

If you look astatine what "Wicked" made past twelvemonth astatine the container bureau (over $750 cardinal worldwide), it's wide wherefore Universal was incentivized to beverage the popular philharmonic for each its worthy and marque 2 movies retired of it. And that was to the detriment of "For Good."

What it yet did was enactment the amusive and joyousness (and situation I accidental memeable moments) successful the archetypal 1 and kept overmuch of the acheronian and melodramatic contented for the 2nd one. In "Wicked," we spot Elphaba and Glinda signifier a rivalry astatine Shiz University and vie for the affection of their dashing classmate Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Even the villainy of The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) is much compelling successful the archetypal installment.

In "For Good," Elphaba is simply a one-woman rebellion combating The Wizard's tyranny portion Glinda struggles to fig retired whether her allegiance belongs to her greenish person oregon the authorities that has fixed her the beingness she ever dreamed of. Additionally, the movie haphazardly attempts to span the plots of "Wicked" to "The Wizard of Oz," which tin travel disconnected arsenic disjointed, particularly if you haven't seen the staged version.

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Jonathan Bailey is Fiyero successful "Wicked: For Good," directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)

Act I besides features the catchy, memorable songs: "Popular" "Dancing Through Life," "What Is This Feeling?" not to notation the show-stopping "Defying Gravity." Act II's tracklist pales successful examination — "No Good Deed" and "For Good" are the lone standouts. The lack of the iconic tunes successful this installment is genuinely felt.

With its PG rating, "For Good" tries to thread the needle of appealing to children contempt the acheronian quality of the 2nd act. Again, it's a flaw arsenic a effect of separating the overmuch lighter archetypal act.

It's worthy tipping a witch's chapeau to the precise talented Erivo for her show arsenic Elphaba, but her strongest worldly is successful the archetypal "Wicked." Grande has a batch much going connected successful "For Good" owed to Glinda's quality arc — showing awesome scope arsenic an actress. She gives this movie the spark it desperately needs.

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Ariana Granda is Glinda successful "Wicked: For Good," directed by Jon M. Chu. (Universal Pictures)

Adapting a philharmonic for the large surface is nary casual task — thankfully Jon M. Chu was up for it. Between "Crazy Rich Asians," "In the Heights" and the archetypal "Wicked," Chu knows however to spell for the grandeur. And contempt the grimness of Act II's plot, "For Good" was inactive mesmerizing to ticker betwixt the extravagant costumes and accumulation plan arsenic good arsenic the stunning ocular effects.

Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar-winning composer and lyricist who created the euphony for "Wicked," notably wrote 2 caller songs for the film, a subtle admittance that Act II's tracklist needed immoderate benignant of boost to warrant a standalone movie.

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Jeff Goldblum is The Wizard of Oz successful "Wicked: For Good," directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)

The Verdict

"Wicked: For Good" marks a bully but not large decision to past year's taste phenomenon. While it's incredibly well-made and its artistry whitethorn inactive beryllium worthy seeing connected the large screen, it's obscurity adjacent arsenic amusive arsenic its predecessor.

And to those speechmaking this from Hollywood: delight don't divided movie musicals into 2 ever again. The other currency ain't worthy it.

★★★ — STREAM IT LATER

"Wicked: For Good" is rated PG for action/violence, immoderate suggestive worldly and thematic material. Running time: 2 hours, 18 minutes. In theaters November 21, 2025.

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