Title: Wicked: For Good
Director: John Chu
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh
Where: In theatres near you
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Jon M Chu’s final Wicked chapter enters confidently, certain of its cultural place. It offers a visually refined, brisk film, though it sometimes struggles to balance the expanding plot.
The story returns to an Oz of daily political duplicity and widening gaps between appearance and truth. Elphaba, a fugitive, protects targeted animals while evading capture. Glinda begins to see that her celebrated role serves the state more than her conscience.
Their separate paths intersect with familiar figures: a hesitant Fiyero, a Wizard losing control of his own mythology and a determined Madame Morrible whose schemes grow increasingly hazardous.
The film is more scattered than its predecessor, often rushing through moments that merit pause; yet, its emotional foundation remains firm. What resonates most is the gradual awakening of both women as they confront the illusions shaping their world, even when the screenplay wavers.
Actors’ Performance
Cynthia Erivo brings precision and gravity to Elphaba, shaping the character with a steady mix of courage and doubt.
Ariana Grande, however, emerges as the film’s centrepiece. Her Glinda is no longer a portrait of effortless charm but a figure learning to navigate the cost of being placed on a pedestal. Grande conveys this shift with restraint, giving the character a welcome depth.
Jonathan Bailey, as Fiyero, has moments of sincerity but is limited by writing that leaves his character uncertain in purpose. Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard add spark to the proceedings, although their time on screen feels more ornamental than essential.
The film’s emotional backbone rests firmly on Erivo’s Elphaba and Grande’s Glinda, and they consistently rise to the occasion.
Music and Aesthetics
The film’s musical identity is both its fuel and its occasional foil. Several numbers swell with the expected theatrical pomp, yet they begin to blend into one another like a playlist stuck in inspirational mode. The two fresh additions feel more like connective tissue than highlights, though the climactic duet delivers in full, a moment of distilled sentiment that quiets the excess surrounding it.
Visually, Chu’s Oz remains a pastel fever dream, though the palette looks curiously washed in places, as if the city has been put through one too many spin cycles. The choreography is energetic but often competes for space with an overactive production design. Grande’s introspective solo sequence, for instance, risks being eclipsed by its own décor. Still, the film’s glossy surfaces will satisfy viewers who come for spectacle and stay for heartfelt crescendos.
FPJ Verdict
This film is inconsistent yet earnest, cluttered yet heartfelt and flawed yet emotionally persuasive. Those seeking intricate storytelling may leave wanting, but viewers invested in Glinda and Elphaba’s destiny will find it generous in its emotional depth. What lingers is not the spectacle but the camaraderie between two women whose bond surpasses the wizardry around them. The film may wobble, but its heart stays steady, which for many will be enough.
