Wicked: For Good Movie Review 2025

Five years after the phenomenal first chapter stole our hearts in 2024, Wicked: For Good storms into theaters with Cynthia Erivo’s emerald-skinned revolutionary Elphaba now fully embracing her destiny as the “Wicked Witch of the West.” While Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande, sparkling brighter than ever) becomes the glittering face of a corrupt Oz regime, the story dives deep into friendship, betrayal, rebellion, and the devastating cost of truth in a world built on lies.

Director Jon M. Chu returns with the same breathtaking visual ambition that made Part One a cultural phenomenon, but this time the magic feels heavier, darker, and deliciously political. The parallels to fake news, manufactured enemies, and authoritarian propaganda are impossible to miss and brilliantly executed in the first half. You’ll gasp at how sharply the film mirrors our own world while still staying true to the Land of Oz.

Cynthia Erivo remains an absolute force – her “Defying Gravity” reprise alone deserves every award in existence. The raw fury and heartbreak she brings to Elphaba’s crusade for Animal rights is mesmerizing. Ariana Grande proves she’s not just a pop princess; her Glinda is heartbreakingly layered – bubbly on the surface, shattered underneath. Their scenes together are pure electricity and single-handedly carry the film through its rockier moments.

Jonathan Bailey is dangerously charming as a torn Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum is perfectly unhinged as the Wizard, and Michelle Yeoh brings chilling gravitas to Madame Morrible. Marissa Bode’s Nessarose and Ethan Slater’s Boq add emotional weight to the Munchkinland sequences that hit harder than expected.

Visually? Stunning. The Emerald City has never looked more opulent, the flying monkeys sequence is jaw-dropping, and Paul Tazewell’s costumes (especially Glinda’s wardrobe) are Oscar-worthy extravagance. Alice Brooks’ cinematography and the VFX team deliver pure spectacle.

But here’s the truth: the second half loses the spell.

After a gripping, emotionally devastating first act, the pacing stumbles badly post-interval. Songs that should soar start feeling like roadblocks. The tornado sequence is bizarrely staged (why is anyone outside?), certain major plot turns feel unearned or rushed, and the finale, while ambitious, doesn’t land with the emotional catharsis we’ve been waiting years for. The five-year time jump is never clearly established, leaving audiences momentarily confused about character developments.

It’s not that Wicked: For Good is bad – far from it. It’s beautiful, bold, and often brilliant. But it feels like a film that desperately needed one more pass in the editing room to match the perfection of its predecessor.

Verdict: A must-watch for fans who’ve been obsessed since “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” changed their lives in 2024. Cynthia and Ariana’s performances alone are worth the ticket price, and the political bite is sharper than ever. But temper your expectations – this broomstick soars spectacularly… then wobbles before landing.

Wicked: For Good is essential viewing for theater kids, Ariana stans, and anyone who believes green is the new black. Just don’t expect it to eclipse the magic of Part One.

It’s good. Very good.

But for a story this legendary?

We deserved great.

⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) – Magical highs, messy lows, and emotions that hit like a flying broomstick.