“Wicked: For Good” is defying the expectations of some critics rightfully weary of sequels that, too often, seem to angle more for box office numbers than the integrity of a story. Many, however, couldn’t help but find the follow-up “numbing,” noting that a famously weaker second act likely set up the film to pale in comparison to the first.
Jon M. Chu’s second and final chapter in the big screen adaptation of “Wicked” — the “Wizard of Oz” prequel novel-turned-Broadway sensation — soars into theaters on Friday. It sees the return of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in their respective turns as Elphaba and Glinda, known in the original story as The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
The film, which arrives nearly a year to the day of its predecessor, currently holds a 72% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Generally Favorable score of 61 on Metacritic. “Wicked,” by comparison, boasts Rotten Tomatoes’ Certified Fresh badge with 88% and a score of 73 on the latter.
While some critics have been enchanted by the saga’s “surprisingly satisfying conclusion,” others have been less taken by the “breathlessly stretched-out second act.”
Slant Magazine, in its 2.5-star review, said the film fails to be “emotionally affecting, even on the level of nostalgia,” serving as a reminder that only in its “wrenching stage form can Wicked’ … really leave you changed for good.”
“As the lyrics of the title song suggest, a change for good does not necessarily mean a change for the better,” ScreenCrush concluded.
The Boston Globe was similarly unmoved, finding “For Good” to be “more of the same, only darker,” taking after the stage hit’s latter half “which even fans would agree is not as good as the first.”
According to Screen Daily, the more-is-more approach — with its “opulent production design and oversized emotions” — doesn’t hold the film up but serves to have a “numbing effect, the endless spectacle leaving little room for nuance, depth or genuine feeling.”
That take was shared by The Associated Press, which said, “The rub of going for maximum effect all the time is that the actors never have a chance to simply be.”
Despite the criticisms, Erivo and Grande have been praised for “almost” saving a film that fails to hit the high notes.
“What a performance from Erivo,” read The Guardian’s 4-out-of-5-star review, while The Hollywood Reporter said Grande “humanizes and enriches the character and, by extension, the whole movie.”
Giving Elphaba and Glinda more scenes and songs together also rectifies “a common complaint” of the stage show, Variety said, making the final stretch feel like “a robust tale unto itself.”
“Through sheer insistence, Erivo and Grande, who deserve the bump in status they’ve received, almost pull it back together with a closing duet that makes a virtue of emotional incontinence,” declared The Irish Times.
All in all, critics largely agreed that “Wicked” might have “proved a musical for the ages” had it been released as one film. Still, longtime fans of the show are sure to find magic in the performance of its stars.
“You couldn’t ask for a more ‘Wicked’ closer,’” said USA Today, proclaiming that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are “at their witchy best.”
