When a musical makes its way to the silver screen, it has to take on several obstacles. The imagination that the audience uses in a live performance has to be replaced with CGI or new visuals to fill the space that might have been on the stage. The musical performances that can feel so alive have to exude the same type of wonder without the aid of a live performer. And, of course, because of the runtime of a typical Broadway musical, the story often has to be either extended into two parts or shortened. Jon M. Chu had the unenviable task of translating the beloved musical Wicked to the big screen, and after a resounding success with the first film, Wicked: For Good is finally about to make its debut in movie theaters.

Boasting two new songs, dazzling set pieces, and the vocal talent of its two stars — Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo — Wicked: For Good is a strong conclusion to the award-winning musical by Stephen Schwartz. For those less familiar with the story, rewatching the first Wicked movie will definitely help you along. The film jumps right back into the action with little to no recapping. We jump back into the action with Elphaba now officially branded as the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz and on the run from the Wizard’s (Jeff Goldblum) forces. While Elphaba struggles under the changing narrative that portrays her as evil, Galinda has become intentionally labeled as her antithesis. While Wicked: For Good isn’t a perfect film, it sets a new standard for adaptations that will serve as a high bar for any future filmmakers to clear.

‘Wicked: For Good’s Loyalty to the Source Material Comes at Its Detriment

Your mileage may vary when it comes to Wicked: For Good. If you love the original stage performance, it could be sacrilegious to drop any of the songs from the list. If you are new to the story, the film may feel a bit lengthy, despite its 137-minute runtime — a relatively short duration for blockbuster films these days. The moments of For Good that often feel like they’re dragging a little tend to be the shorter numbers that serve more as plot development than true performances. These songs have their purpose on stage, but end up feeling slightly out of place or extraneous in the film.

This is not a major stumbling block. However, this drawback isn’t helped by the fact that the sound mixing isn’t perfect. Both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have fantastic voices. But when either actor sings, especially at a higher pitch, the lyrics can be difficult to decipher. If you have language or hearing difficulties, this means that a large part of this film will force you to rely on context clues or watch it later with subtitles.

Of course, that’s not to say that the performances are poor. On the contrary, Erivo and Grande explode off the screen with the same exuberance as a stage performance. Much of this film sees them apart, which means both women have more solos. For anyone with less experience or talent, this could be the film’s Achilles’ heel. But in Wicked: For Good, it becomes the highlight. Whenever Erivo or Grande are on the screen, they are magnetic. Even with co-stars like Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, they are far and away the most entertaining actors in the movie.

Both actors get a new song in Wicked: For Good that is original to the movie. Although Galinda’s “The Girl in the Bubble” isn’t that memorable, Grande’s pitch-perfect voice makes it a honey-sweet performance. On the other hand, Elphaba’s “No Place Like Home” stands out as a worthy addition that feels poignantly relevant today. Although it sticks out, it doesn’t feel out of place. It gives Erivo a chance to shine on screen — in a film that focuses a bit more on Grande — and no one is going to complain about more songs sung by Cynthia Erivo.

The problem with the second act of Wicked, even on Broadway, has always been that “Defying Gravity” is, without doubt, its best song. That means that the first movie ends on the strongest note of the musical. In a Broadway theater, you wait about 15 minutes before jumping into the second part of the story. In the movie, you’ve had to wait a year. I do question if the decision to name the movie Wicked: For Good was wise, as this movie — more than any other “two-parter” — can not stand on its own. Some of the momentum is inevitably lost, which makes sense why certain theaters have opted to show the first movie back-to-back with For Good. With a short break between parts one and two, the pacing of the film wouldn’t lose its rhythm so much.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Are the Heart and Soul of ‘Wicked: For Good

On that note, it’s never been more obvious that the true love story of Wicked is between Elphaba and Galinda. Erivo and Grande are electric whenever they share the screen together. The chemistry works perfectly, even as both characters have matured past being school girls. Although the love story with Elphaba and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is still touched on in a large part of the film, it pales in comparison to the main duo. The only other character who comes close to sharing the spotlight is Goldblum’s Wizard. The performance of “Wonderful” offers a fantastic moment for Goldblum to stretch his musical talents, and he manages to hold his own across both Erivo and Grande, not an easy task to accomplish.

The downside to this is that both Grande and Erivo’s scenes with other characters, like Yeoh’s Morrible or Bailey’s Fiyero, truly can’t measure up. Much of the emotional tension and gravitas lies in Galinda and Elphaba’s love for each other and their difference of opinion. Even when they disagree, their connection is far stronger because we know that any argument is still built on the foundation of a strong friendship that isn’t easily shattered.

In fact, although it’s impossible to top “Defying Gravity,” one of the last songs, “For Good,” is a powerful and tender moment between the two friends that triples down on their dynamic and the emotions that the movie has been building up to for the entire film. It’s almost a shame that there won’t be any more Wicked after this, because Erivo and Grande’s voices harmonize together so well, it brought me to tears — it’s a pity that two movies is all we get from it.

‘Wicked: For Good’ Delivers a Stunning Conclusion, Even With Some Design Flaws

Image via Universal Pictures

There was significant criticism from viewers about the color grading of the first film, but Wicked: For Good delivers even more vibrant visuals, with bold colors that feel far more saturated. The set design, which takes us beyond just Shiz, is also fantastic. The visuals of the yellow brick road and Elphaba’s little hideaway add extra flavor that the movie was missing before. The design of Kiamo Ko castle, specifically, is gorgeous. It provides the perfect stage for Elphaba’s performance of “No Good Deed,” which is Erivo’s best in the film. Listening to Erivo belt out lyrics while soaring through the sky in a castle that defies both architecture and gravity is simply hard to beat.

On top of that, I’m pretty sure Jon M. Chu deserves some kind of special award for creating the best movie weddings. A scene with Galinda in the film feels reminiscent of Chu’s iconic wedding entrance in Crazy Rich Asians. If this filmmaking thing doesn’t work out, Jon, you have a career in extravagant wedding planning. Jokes aside, some of the weakest parts of the film lie not in the visuals of the locations or the color grading, but rather in the CGI of some of the characters. In one scene, a de-aged actor’s face almost looks incomplete. We only see his face for a few moments, but it’s long enough to notice the cracks in the facade. Similarly, the design of the Scarecrow character borders on nightmare fuel with the way the character’s skin is rendered. In comparison, the Tin Man, whose costume seems to primarily rely on practical effects, is more impactful and believable.

Despite these issues (and a small quibble over how Grande’s dresses never seem to fit her small frame right), Wicked: For Good is not only a loyal adaptation, but it also builds on what works from the first film while leaning into its lead performances. The characters are more mature and nuanced, making it a worthy successor to the first movie. It doesn’t surpass Wicked, but as a double feature, it does justice to one of the best musicals ever, and that’s not an easy feat to accomplish.

Wicked: For Good comes to theaters on November 21.