[Rating: Minor Rock Fist Up]
In Theaters Friday, November 21
About a half hour too long with a stable of songs that are only about half as good as the previous installment, Wicked: For Good lives up to its name in more ways than one. Decent but not spectacular, the Broadway sequel dazzles with spectacle and timely narrative relevance, getting by on vibes and yet another star-making turn by its lead, Cynthia Erivo. An easy-going, toe-tapping lark that’s safe for the whole family, the cracks that began to form in the first installment widen into small chasms, here, yet remain navigable through all of its 144 minutes.
Director Jon M. Chu bypasses any kind of recap to get right into things in the opening minutes, showing Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West (Erivo) conducting a sort of guerilla campaign against The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) in the land of Oz. Elphaba occupies herself flying around via broomstick disrupting the construction of the yellow brick road as well as spreading the truth about the Wizard’s true (evil) nature. It’s noble work, yet she must contend with misinformation guru Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who is now working with Elphaba’s bff, Glinda (Ariana Grande), and bf hopeful, Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey).
Both Glinda and Fiyero have their doubts about the Wizard’s regime and their new place in it, yet peer pressure and the weight of official “responsibility” makes things difficult for them. Elphaba works to reconnect with these friends and her sister, Nessa (Marissa Bode), while also trying to convince the kingdom’s animals, now fully oppressed and enslaved, to remain and fight alongside her. Most of those she encounters are either too brainwashed or scared to hit back, however, leaving Elphaba with few options and even fewer allies.
As the authoritarian noose tightens around the collective throat of Oz, with many of those trapped inside all too eager to help cinch it, Elphaba confronts her own doubts about whether the struggle is even worth it. Like the first movie, the themes are timely for the current moment, and hit especially hard for American audiences watching their own government waging shameless misinformation campaigns against any and all perceived enemies (minority communities, science, provable facts). Wicked: For Good doesn’t run from these real-world parallels, either, and this courage to confront the subtext head-on speaks to the integrity of Chu and the screenplay.
Indeed, the structure for success is all there: it’s the guts of the movie that too often fail it. The first Wicked was front-loaded with all of the best songs from the Broadway musical, leaving just “For Good” as a standout this time around (which is indeed a banger). There also isn’t a ton of story to cover, here, and after things creep past the two-hour mark, this reality becomes increasingly obvious.
It’s more than just song selection and runtime working against it, though, as the fundamental flaw of the movie is its reliance on singers to act, and actors to sing. Goldblum and Yeoh carry the emotional weight of their scenes with impeccable effect, yet they just aren’t Broadway folk. Likewise, Grande is one hell of a vocalist, and does well with broad parody and humor, yet she struggles when forced to carry the emotional weight of a serious moment. Only Erivo and Bailey successfully navigate these two distinct worlds, and their almost casual ability to do so shines an ugly spotlight on those around them that can’t.
Not that this is anything new…since the dawn of talkies, Hollywood has been loosey-goosey with musical casting (Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls, cough cough), and there was already a Wicked movie last year to brace people for what’s on display in this one. And really, it isn’t that bad: just a little disappointing, because the bones of this thing are solid and hint at a better movie somewhere. The costumes, hair/makeup, production design, and special effects are all top notch, and as already mentioned, Erivo is a revelation in the lead and is worth the price of admission all by herself.
Fans of the musical should be content with all of this, along with newcomers who found some hope and inspiration in the first installment. Chu has demonstrated once again why he’s the new go-to guy for Hollywood musicals with his staging of the action against the Broadway numbers, and seems to understand just which audience buttons to push, and when to push them for maximum effect. Even so, there’s just not enough meat on the bone for this second installment, and the flaws that were little more than a nuisance in Part 1 have grown into substantive issues in the sequel. A good enough time for existing fans, sure, but this one never quite takes off, and struggles to defy the gravity conquered so resoundingly the first time around.
“Obvious Child” is the debut novel of Warren Cantrell, a film and music critic based out of Seattle, Washington. Mr. Cantrell has covered the Sundance and Seattle International Film Festivals, and provides regular dispatches for Scene-Stealers and The Playlist. Warren holds a B.A. and M.A. in History, and his hobbies include bourbon drinking, novel writing, and full-contact kickboxing.
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