“Wicked: For Good” is the perfect successor to its predecessor. The film merges spectacular visual effects with engaging songs. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the character development in one case. Based on Geoffrey Maguire’s novel “Wicked,” the plot of this movie brilliantly re-imagines the story that originated in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

The first picture ended with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) leaving the Emerald City while being characterized by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) as “wicked.” Since her departure, five years have passed. The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) has been busy organizing the construction of the Yellow Brick Road that will connect all points to the Emerald City.

As part of this building project, the Wizard has enslaved animals to do the grunt work. Elphaba engages in liberation activities designed to free these creatures. She also tries to point out how the Wizard lies, but is thwarted by Morrible who changes her sky-writing.

On another front, Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera) is being groomed to be the public face of Oz. Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is now the Captain of the Guard at the Emerald City. An arranged marriage with Glinda is announced. Glinda begins plans for the wedding.
Morrible makes Glinda a flying platform which can be manipulated to create a bubble when Glinda is flying on it. Morrible does this because Glinda has no magical powers of her own, including in the wand which is bestowed upon her.

Elphaba discovers that multiple animals are fleeing to the wasteland outside Oz. She tries to persuade them to change their minds as Oz is their home. A lion shows up and points out that Elphaba created the flying monkeys. These creatures secretly sit and listen thoughtfully to Elphaba’s futile pleas for the animals to stay.

Nessarose (Marissa Bode) is now the governor of Munchkinland. Boq (Ethan Slater), her paramour and assistant, is not satisfied with her actions. He tries to flee, but Nessarose forbids animals and Munchkins to leave. Elphaba arrives with the Grimmerie. She creates flying shoes for Nessarose, who also decides to use the Grimmerie to create a love spell for Boq, but shrinks his heart instead. Elphaba turns him into a tin man to save him.

Elphaba arrives at the Emerald City to wish Glinda well. They meet the Wizard and plan for Elphaba to be redeemed upon her return. Elphaba requires the Wizard to free the flying monkeys.

When the Wizard does this, one of the monkeys returns to show her a secret entrance. Inside are imprisoned animals, including Dr. Dillamond. Infuriated, Elphaba releases the creatures, who crash and disrupt Glinda’s wedding. Fiyero acknowledges his love for Elphaba and the two leave together.

Glinda is infuriated. She points out that the way to lure Elphaba out is to create a rumor about Nessarose being in danger. But Morrible has something crueler in mind. What will happen to Nessarose? Will Fiyero and Elphaba find true love?

Full disclosure: I have never seen “Wicked: The Musical” on stage. I have seen the first movie in this series, however. I read an article that discussed the addition of new songs that were not in the original musical and some plot-point variations between the Broadway show and this movie.

As such, I will say that I found this second installment much more engaging and interesting than the first part. I just did not care for the scenes at the university and the whole exclusion of Elphaba for the longest time.

This installment has some fascinating twists revolving around Dorothy Gale’s trio of supporters. How Dorothy comes to Oz is itself intriguing. The final resolution thoroughly pleased me.

The role of Glinda becomes much more expanded. Her character development seems stalled for much of the picture. But when it does blossom, the transformation is breath-taking. This could not have been accomplished without Ariana Grande Butera’s truthful portrayal of the subtleties that have shaped Glinda’s past and her reaction to the changing circumstances in the Emerald City.

The visual effects are first-rate of course. This comes as no surprise until you realize that you are giving credence to the strange world of Oz as being normal. The depictions of the animals, especially the flying monkeys, and their suffering is compelling and realistic. Glinda’s bubble warrants mentioning. The flying and magical sequences are well-done.

The set for the Emerald City has elements of the Art Deco feel from the one in the original “The Wizard of Oz” from 1939. But it also has some dark sides within the structure that reveal the duplicity of the Wizard. By contrast, the castle Kiamo Ko is stark but skillfully constructed in its geometric simplicity.

The costuming also warrants mentioning. The basic dichotomy between Glinda’s resplendent gowns and Elphaba’s basic black add color to the story. Fiyero and his guards’ uniforms are regal and ornate.

Both the score and the songs are top-notch. The songs naturally flowed from the action.

Besides my praise of Grande-Butera above, I want to shout out Cynthia Erivo’s continued excellence in portraying Elphaba. She gets to show just about every emotion, from true love to pure hatred. Jonathan Bailey gets a more robust role than he did in the first installment. But he carries it off well. The love between Fiyero and Elphaba is tangible and real.

So this is a must-see movie if only because it will receive many movie-award nods. The fact that it is a complex story of two women trying to find their place in an unusual world makes this film shine. The movie takes an existing premise and makes a new, more nuanced creation.

Five out of five stars

The final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.

As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, with Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Jon M. Chu
Screenplay by: Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox
Based on: the musical stage play with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire