Wicked: For Good?
SAMUEL ANGUS-SCHOFIELD
While not quite as enchanting as the first movie, Wicked, this film still has a lot of charm, and once again, is carried by its two main leads. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s chemistry is palpable, the friendship between the two characters again being the main appeal of the movie. Grande got big laughs during a very funny fight scene between the two characters, that emphasised the contrast between them.
The sets are fabulous, and make Oz feel like a world outside our own. The Emerald City looks gorgeous and while the CGI can sometimes be a little overwhelming, it didn’t distract me from the good time I was having. I enjoyed the film despite not being, in general, a fan of musicals. While the songs in this film are terrific, the song used at the end of the first Wicked was so good that I was constantly comparing all the songs in this sequel to that wonderful finale. Still, almost all of them were still absolute belters.
My only complaint would be that I wish more time was spent elucidating how the two leads interact with the four iconic main characters from the original 1939 Wizard of Oz. I can understand that the writers may not have wanted to detract from the current story, but it still felt like there should have been more time spent on them as they grouped up to kill the ‘wicked’ witch.
The film did something that all good movies do, which is to make you want more. At no time was I waiting for the end. Perhaps the best way to experience it would be as a double bill with the first film. That way you’d get the full musical experience.
Wicked: For Good showed at The Odeon, Hastings from 29 November to 4 December
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