REVIEW: ‘Wicked: For Good’ Shines Through Its Performances But Falters In Execution
- Demet Koc
- 3 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Wicked became a cultural phenomenon when it hit the theaters last year. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s acting, singing, and magical chemistry both on and off-screen made the film into an instant classic. Their roles earned them well-deserved Oscar nominations, with Grande nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Erivo for Best Actress. Their performances in Wicked Part 1 were strong enough to make one ignore the film's technical flaws, which included the obvious problems with color grading and some uneven VFX. The first film had a strong structure, with characters who felt carefully developed and a story that moved at a calm, confident pace. So when Wicked: For Good arrives to close out Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, it naturally comes with a sense of expectation that feels almost impossible not to carry.
It has been a long year waiting for this movie and I must say that my expectations were high. Wicked Part 1 set those expectations with the way it wove the story slowly but surely. The storytelling unfolded masterfully and with intention, exploring each character’s perspective and the rising tension shaping Oz. Because of that, every emotional moment landed, and the narrative felt cohesive despite coming from a famously dense and stylized stage show. I wish I could say the same about Wicked: For Good, but the pacing here feels very uneven. One might expect to see a cohesive story, but it feels like the scenes are loosely stitched together. There is very little keeping the emotional threads intact.
The story continues shortly after the events of Wicked Part 1. Glinda is stepping into the spotlight as the public figure she once aspired to become. Madame Morrible manipulates her growing influence for political control, while Fiyero goes along with the charade expected of him. Elphaba focuses on rescuing the animals of Oz from being enslaved and stripped of their voices forever, a cause that only strengthens the fear and propaganda directed at her.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande deliver emotionally rich and deeply felt portrayals that elevate the film. Their commitment to the material is evident in every scene they share, and their chemistry remains one of the strongest elements of the entire adaptation. Together, they create the genuine feeling that we are witnessing the evolution of a complex, imperfect, and profoundly meaningful friendship. Their dynamic is the heart of the story, and in the moments when the film finally gives them space to connect, the emotional payoff is riveting.
In the first installment, Erivo’s Elphaba was unquestionably the emotional center. She carried much of the narrative weight, navigating through the political and emotional shifts in Oz with vulnerability and strength that made her instantly compelling. In Wicked For Good, however, the emotional spotlight shifts, and Grande’s Glinda becomes the true center of the film. She is the character who undergoes the most internal conflict: a young woman who is adored by the public yet increasingly isolated, manipulated by those in power, and deeply hurt by the growing distance between herself and the only person who ever saw her clearly.
“The Girl in the Bubble” showcases Glinda’s heartbreaking psychological unraveling. It is a moment that captures her entire journey: the loneliness of her elevated position, and feeling abandoned and betrayed by both Elphaba and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Grande’s performance in this sequence is tender and raw. She finds the human center of Glinda, revealing layers of fear, grief, loneliness, self-doubt, and longing beneath the sparkling exterior. Her portrayal feels lived-in and emotionally grounded.
It is undoubtedly Grande’s finest acting in either part of the adaptation. She transcends the iconography of the character and plays Glinda as a fully realized person who is trying desperately to reconcile her mistakes with her desire to be good. Her vulnerability becomes this film’s emotional center.
Erivo remains exceptional as Elphaba. She plays the outcast with similar vulnerability to Grande’s Glinda, but her approach is a bit more hardened. Her attempts to reveal the truth or protect the animals are twisted into evidence of a threat she never intended to become. She feels isolated in a world determined to misinterpret her actions, and her sense of betrayal – especially from Glinda – is palpable. Fiyero’s love forces her to sacrifice the friendship she cherished most. Glinda’s love for Elphaba changed her for good, but it is Fiyero’s love that made her feel like someone finally cared enough to choose her. And eventually, Elphaba loses Fiyero, too, which gives us the one of the most powerful and magical scenes in the Wicked movies. “No Good Deed” is simply spine-chilling, supported by visuals that finally match the emotional weight of the scene. Surrounded by flying monkeys in Fiyero’s castle, Elphaba desperately tries to save the only person who ever chose her without hesitation. It is one of the few moments in Wicked: For Good where the film’s emotional, visual, and narrative elements come together seamlessly.
The supporting characters, however, do not receive the same attention. While it is true that the second act of the stage musical is shorter and more narrow in focus, the film’s approach leaves several characters feeling unfinished. Fiyero feels underused here. Marissa Bode gives Nessarose as much wickedness as she can, but her arc feels rushed and not fully earned. Boq (Ethan Slater), on the other hand, benefits from more screen time, and his journey feels satisfying and well developed.
Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) has more scenes than the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), yet both feel secondary, especially the Wizard. It makes sense that the true fascist power figure stays hidden, letting the military and one person with influence carry out the dirty work for him. Jeff Goldblum is delightful to watch as this evil, manipulative, and conniving villain. The only issue I had with the character is that his reaction to the story’s major twist feels oddly unconvincing and emotionally unclear, which leaves the moment flatter than it should be.
The songs in Wicked: For Good may not be as catchy as the ones in the first film, but they land with a much heavier emotional impact. “The Girl in the Bubble” and “For Good” might genuinely bring you to tears, and “No Good Deed” is the kind of number that leaves you sitting in awe. “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier” was a real surprise, mostly because of the vulnerability Ariana Grande brings to it. Michelle Yeoh, unfortunately, is the weakest part of the soundtrack. Her almost spoken-word approach pulls you out of the moment and takes away from the spellbinding quality of Grande’s singing.
Jon M. Chu shows clear growth as a director. The film looks better and is more confidently staged than Wicked Part 1. However, the clunky editing and the lack of real spectacle make it less enjoyable than it should be. The film often plays like a series of scenes placed one after another instead of a single cohesive story. It becomes a pattern of this happened and then this happened, but nothing truly holds it together. The story jumps across moments that should feel monumental, but the transitions are abrupt, and the pacing wavers between rushed and overly drawn out. The narrative never quite finds the steady rhythm that made the first film so compelling.
Wicked: For Good is a film that shines brightest when it leans into the connection between its two leads. Erivo and Grande carry the story with so much sincerity that even the film’s rougher parts feel easier to forgive. Yet the inconsistencies in pacing and structure are hard to ignore, especially after the strength of Wicked Part 1. There are moments that feel magical and unforgettable, and others that never quite reach their full potential. In the end, the film succeeds because of the performances at its center, even if the narrative around them is uneven. Fans will walk away moved by Elphaba and Glinda’s final chapter, but the film as a whole does not match the unity and emotional precision that made the first installment so special.
Rating: ★★★½
About Wicked: For Good
Premiere Date: November 21, 2025
Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Dana Fox, Winnie Holzman
Production: Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Productions
Distribution: Universal Pictures
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Colman Domingo.
Synopsis: Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.