Valerie Myers
Contributing Writer
“Wicked: For Good” was released in theaters last Friday and follows the first movie, which came out in November of last year. The film is the movie adaptation of the 2003 musical “Wicked.”
The story follows that of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, as she tries to transform Oz for good by exposing the wizard’s lies and animal cruelty.
The movie does a splendid job of following the musical. It was concerning that the movie may not be able to follow the musical plot as closely as the first movie did, but the film’s director, Jon M. Chu, did a great job of including what was required while still making the movie child-friendly.
However, there are some factors that are impossible to ignore that could have easily made the movie a 10 out of 10 had they been fixed.
The movie starts approximately five years after its prequel but does not explain what occurs during this break. Besides knowing that Elphaba has been trying to open the eyes of Ozians to the wizard’s lies, viewers lack specifics of what happens in that timeframe.
This creates a strange effect that makes it feel as if the movies were immediately after each other and therefore underscores the friendship that Glinda and Elphaba had even in their separation.
The casting of Madam Morrible is questionable. While Michelle Yeoh is a great actor, she lacks the singing abilities required for her role.
During “Thank Goodness,” Madam Morrible’s mini solo got completely scrapped from the movie. Assuming this was to cut down on her singing time (as she struggled in other singing parts as well), another actress should have been chosen.
While the movie could have been better in these areas, it was exceptional in others. For instance, Ethan Slater’s Tin Man scene was nothing short of amazing. His acting skills were on point and even scary when he yelled his “I’m glad I’m heartless, I’ll be heartless killing her!” line.
Similarly, the addition of a new song “Girl in the Bubble” was a nice addition to Glinda’s character. In this song, Glinda admits that her carefree attitude and willingness to stay with the wizard are built on ignorance or being “in the bubble.” Glinda ends the song by asking if “it [is] high time for her bubble to pop?”
In summary, the movie was entertaining and a great adaptation of the Broadway musical. There were just a few changes that could have made it perfect. Since it was released so close to Thanksgiving, it is a great movie to watch with the family if they enjoy theatre or are young.