Wicked: For Good, the second half of the two-part film adaptation, arrives with a very specific challenge. Fans of the musical know this well: Act II has always been the weaker half.
After the big songs and grand moments of the first act, the story traditionally slows down, becomes more serious, and relies heavily on plot mechanics. The first film captured the excitement of Act I perfectly – this one has the harder job.
The result is a film that is often moving, consistently well-performed and visually impressive – but also, at times, uneven. While it delivers a proper ending to the story of Elphaba and Glinda, it also exposes the same structural issues the musical has carried for two decades.
More serious, more grounded
Jeff Goldblum, left, plays the Wizard of Oz in Wicked.
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