Finally, after a year-long intermission, Wicked: For Good returned to the theaters on November 21. Part one of this movie was released last November, leaving fans on their toes for an entire year, waiting for the highly anticipated ending. The excitement built over time as viewers wondered how it would end for iconic witches Glinda and Elphaba.
Wicked: For Good picks up right where part one ended, but also introduces new dynamics and excitement. Glinda and Elphaba remain the main storyline, as their friendship continues to grow and flourish, but they also face challenges. Everybody in Oz sees Elphaba as the Wicked Witch of the West, which makes her journey of challenging the wizard even more difficult. Meanwhile, Glinda must manage her friendship with Elphaba while also upholding her role as the Good Witch.
In the background of the movie, you can spot many references and symbols that connect to the well-known movie The Wizard of Oz. Throughout the movie, you actually see appearances from Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion, and learn some more details about their characters. The sequel did an outstanding job of weaving together elements from all the movies to create an exciting ending.
A big part of both movies is the musical element, and it is safe to say that the music did not disappoint. Again, each song fit each scene perfectly, and I was surprised by how much I liked it because part one was top-tier. My favorite songs from the movie were “For Good,” “No Good Deed,” and “As Long as You’re Mine.” Similar to the first movie, all the actors sang live on set, which I think is super impressive, and makes the music sound way better.
As someone who has never seen the play, I went into this movie blind. The ending was amazing. For me, it was really unexpected, and the acting by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande truly made it come to life. Not just their acting, but the acting by the whole cast was amazing. You could really tell that they all poured their heart and souls into both movies and turned a well-known Broadway show into a spectacular cinematic masterpiece.
The message that is portrayed in both parts stood out to me the most overall. The idea of friendship and empowerment is what Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship rallied around, and I think it is an important message that is being directed toward viewers. I enjoyed Wicked: For Good, because it gave me a different understanding and perspective of the movie. The story that Wicked tells showcases loyalty and staying true to people, and the perspective you gain from it, I promise you will never forget.