Lions, bubbles, and munchkins, oh my! Welcome back to Oz, “Wicked” fans. The highly anticipated finale, “Wicked: For Good,” has hit theaters and is arguably more shocking, emotional, and memorable than the first. If you haven’t seen this new movie-musical yet, don’t wait another clock tick to see it. In the theater, I cheered, laughed, cried, and mourned the end of this magical era of cinema. As the title suggests, experiencing this second act on the big screen will definitely change you “for good.”
All The Attention is on “The Girl in the Bubble.”
While the first movie mainly focused on Elphaba, “Wicked: For Good” highlights Glinda’s moment in the bright pink spotlight. As talented as she was in Act One, Ariana Grande truly committed herself in this act. Her emotion-filled facial expressions reached the audience’s hearts, and her spectacular operatic vocals gave everyone chills.
With Elphaba now deemed the “Wicked Witch of the West” in Oz, Glinda is used as Madame Morrible and the Wizard’s pawn to oppose her. She has become a public figure, known as “Glinda the Good,” boosting everyone’s spirits with her cheerful smile in front of crowds and floating high in her bubble. Although she loves Elphaba, she is forced to hide it. Throughout this act, we see how Glinda navigates the fame she has always wanted while dealing with her personal emotional turmoil. Her character development reveals the sacrifices required to be truly good. Ariana delivers an outstanding performance, showcasing Glinda’s wide range of emotions in this finale.
Stunning Musical Numbers
Although Act I undoubtedly has the most iconic musical numbers in the show, like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” “Wicked: For Good” is filled with several stunning songs as well. “As Long as You’re Mine” left fans’ heads spinning like the tornado that brought Dorothy’s house to Oz. The power ballad of this act, “No Good Deed,” made people feel wicked, through and through, and to finish the musical, we are left sobbing to Gelphie’s queer-platonic anthem, “For Good.”
Along with the original Broadway tracklist, Ariana and Cynthia each had their own new song added to the movie. Elphaba’s “No Place Like Home” is a heartfelt tune for herself and the animals being discriminated against, and Glinda’s “Girl in the Bubble” adds depth to her character arc. Both of these songs are tasteful additions to the soundtrack.
The male characters’ vocals didn’t disappoint either. Jonathan Bailey’s short-but-sweet verse in “As Long As You’re Mine” gave me goosebumps. Although he didn’t have his own musical number in this act, he charmed the audience as if he did. And to show some appreciation for Ethan Slater, Boq’s anger-fueled line in “March of the Witch Hunters” was truly chilling. In this act, he stepped up his game just enough to make the audience hate him even more.
Dark Times in Oz
If you thought the second act of “Wicked” would be as funny and light-hearted as the first, think again. “Wicked: For Good” reveals the darker, divided side of Oz. With themes like political corruption, propaganda, animal cruelty, prejudice, and social injustice, the musical depicts a society built on wickedness. As the Wizard and Morrible spread lies about Elphaba, we also see animals fleeing Oz and Munchkins being dragged out of the Emerald City. What was once a land of tulips and rainbows is now nothing like that.
Though Elphaba is deemed the “enemy of all” in Oz, we witness the birth of several other characters’ wicked intentions in this finale. Nessarose’s selfishness leads to her own demise. Boq’s tragic lovesickness leaves him heartless. And even Glinda momentarily betrays her beloved Elphie out of spite in their love triangle.
In the first act, Elphaba is hopeful as she seeks her place in Oz. But now she has left everyone behind to fight the corruption within. At the cost of more isolation, she sacrifices friendship, romance, and comfort in hopes of exposing the Wizard.
Bring the Tissues
Unless you want to eat some tear-soaked popcorn, you’ll need a box of tissues next to you to watch this movie. By the end, there isn’t a dry eye in the theater.
As you sob, listening to the closing number, Elphaba and Glinda commemorate their unlikely friendship that became a forever bond. The reason “Wicked” resonates with so many and makes us so emotional is that it captures the essence of best-friend love. What’s more powerful than friendship?
Featured image via Wicked on Instagram
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