To quote a line from Shakespeare’s “MacBeth”: “Something wicked this way comes.”
The story “Wicked,” as we know, has already arrived in various forms, all of them successful.
“Wicked,” the Broadway musical, has earned over $4 billion, to date.
Last year’s “Wicked” the movie (Part 1), raked in over $750 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing movie adaptation of a Broadway musical.
Now comes the long-awaited, much anticipated second and final chapter in the “Wicked” franchise, “Wicked: For Good.”
For those who wondered if it could defy gravity and rise above the success of the first movie, in a recent slump in box office attendance, the opening weekend take of $164 million signaled a resounding “yes.”
To borrow from its own lyrics, it has proven to be very “pop-u-lar.”
Like the previous film, “Wicked: For Good” received mixed reviews, but that didn’t stop fans from buying tickets. It should continue to make money through the Thanksgiving weekend, since its appeal crosses over all the demographic lines — young and old, girls and boys, fans of the original 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” as well as a generation who somehow never saw it.
For those familiar with the story, which is based on L. Frank Baum’s beloved novel written in 1900, the movie wastes no time offering up untold backstories, beginning with the building of the Yellow Brick Road, which was already completed when Dorothy and her traveling companions danced on it early in the original film.
Part of the appeal of “Wicked: For Good” is in the filling in narrative gaps, providing origin stories for The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Man, in addition to the Flying Monkeys and the Wicked Witch of the East, who dies very early on in the original film. The dramatic tornado and witch-crushing farmhouse scenes are retold here from a slightly different perspective and with much less fanfare.
The famous ruby slippers are sparkly silver shoes in this re-telling (as described in Baum’s novel). What remains the same is the obsessiveness of the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) to reclaim them and their powers.
There is much more attention to Glinda, the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) here than there ever was in the original film. Her relationship with Elphaba is what “Wicked” is all about. In this chapter of the story, they have become polar opposites, and there is never any doubt about which witch is which.
The color coding is unnecessary, though Elphaba is green (as was Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch) and Glinda is perpetually pretty in pink.
Initially, they are both likeable characters. “Wicked” explored the surprising softer, empathetic side of Elphaba, who only develops a nasty streak when she discovers that the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) is a liar and a fake with malicious evil intent. He and his collaborator — and dark mastermind — Madame Morrible (Michele Yeoh) have secret plans to rob the citizens of Oz of their peace, prosperity and freedom.
The Wizard and Madame Morrible do their best to vilify Elphaba and turn everyone against her. It only serves to intensify her mission to reveal who they really are.
Despite the technical wizardry of the film (the eye-popping IMAX vistas and supersonic broom riding sequences), “Wicked: For Good” falls short when it comes to The Wizard character and his terrifying visage as seen in the original film. Sadly, Goldblum just turns in his stock Jeff Goldblum performance, which is as mechanical here as the giant metal face that projects his voice.
Interestingly, the Judy Garland Dorothy character appears briefly in this installment of the franchise. It’s a delicate connection, necessary for the story, that intersects with the very familiar 1939 movie version. It could have been handled better, particularly in the staging of the Wicked Witch’s death, which is much more dramatic in the original film.
There are other major story twists and changes. One of the biggest ones blatantly borrows from the most famous revelation in the “Star Wars” series. Enough said.
Watch - Wicked: For Good | Official Trailer
Despite some shortcomings, “Wicked: For Good” delivers on visual splash and two exceptional lead performances from two veteran pop superstars.
The question remains about how this two-part franchise will stand the test of time. While the original “Wizard of Oz” was famously a failure when initially released back in 1939, it went on to become an enduring classic in the years that followed, thanks to repeated viewings on network television.
In the end, despite its age and lack of modern digital technology, it may ultimately be the one that we remember for good, and forever, for its pure, heartwarming movie magic.
DREW’S TAKE:
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande shine in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked: For Good,” offering some delightful backstory elements to the original “The Wizard of Oz” (1939). Other story changes are a mixed bag.
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