The year-long wait between director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked: Part 1” and “Wicked: For Good” has finally come to an end. While “Wicked: Part 1” received a whopping 88 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the newly released “Wicked: For Good” only received a 68 percent rating.
Fans of the original Broadway musical and book expected a grand cinematic conclusion to “Wicked: Part 1,” diving deeper into the politics of Oz and the friendship of Elphaba and Glinda. However, they were met with a darker, more serious mood reflecting modern politics like the influence of false propaganda. Some people found it to be a more powerful adaptation while others felt it lost the show’s fun nature and rushed emotional scenes.
Certified Rotten Tomato Critic, Louis Skye wrote, “I enjoyed myself. The production was once again astoundingly beautiful. The sets, the costumes, my goodness, what a treat to watch it on the big screen. There were some wonderful emotional moments that had me full-on crying. And some twists.”
In contrast, Certified Rotten Tomato Critic Juan Barquin wrote, “With no substance and no style to be found, all that is left in ‘Wicked: For Good’ is two actresses, doing more than just belting their hearts out by giving genuinely compelling performances.”
While it definitely met fans’ high expectations for spectacle, it divided audiences with its darker, more political tone, changes from the original Broadway show like new songs, and pacing issues. The movie received praise for Cynthia Erivo’s and Ariana Grande’s performances but was criticized for rushed plot points and under-developed characters compared to the book.
Raleigh Charter freshman Lauren Deans gave her review on the movie and said,”I thought it was an amazing film with a great theme and I especially loved the performance of Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard.”
Similarly, Raleigh Charter freshman Sophia Lopez said, “I thought it was a great movie and I loved Cynthia Erivo’s rendition of No Good Deed, specifically when she sings ‘Eleka nahmen nahmen, ah tum ah tum, eleka nahmen’.”
While both movies were hugely successful, “Wicked: For Good” brought new social perspectives to audiences, giving more thought-provoking considerations.
