Wicked: For Good reviews: a warm reception with tempered enchantment
The much-anticipated Wicked: For Good has landed with broadly positive reviews from critics, yet many say the sequel doesn’t quite cast the same spell as the original film. Fans and journalists alike welcomed the return of familiar faces and the lush production values, but several noted a shift in pace, tone, and storytelling that keeps this chapter from reaching the same dizzying heights as its predecessor.
When the curtain rose on the first Wicked, cinema-goers were swept into a world of dazzling numbers, sharp wit, and an emotional current that felt both fresh and inevitable. The sequel, which reunites Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, promises to deepen the relationship at the story’s center while expanding the world’s magical rules. Critics say the film succeeds on a technical level—production design, choreography, and musical staging remain spectacular—but a common thread in reviews is the sense that the connective tissue between character arcs and plot beats isn’t as tight as in the original.
Performance and chemistry under a brighter spotlight
Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba maintains a fierce, tenacious center, delivering vocal power that fans will recognize from the stage and screen. Grande’s Glinda, meanwhile, continues to balance buoyant charm with a more nuanced, if occasionally conflicted, moral compass. Reviewers applaud their musical numbers and the way their on-screen chemistry carries the emotional throughline—yet several critiques point to moments where character motivations feel undercooked or stretched to fit a larger, more ambitious narrative arc.
In particular, critics note that the sequel leans into spectacle with fewer quiet, character-driven scenes. While the first film earned high marks for finding intimate gravity amid grandeur, For Good sometimes relies on set-piece showstoppers to advance the plot, which can dilute the subtler themes that resonated so strongly in the original. Still, the performances are broadly recognized as a strength, with vocal performances and stage-inspired bravura delivering the energy audiences crave from a Wicked installment.
Narrative ambitions and pacing
Where the initial Wicked built momentum through suspense, mystery, and a gradual moral unease, the follow-up often prioritizes expansion—the world, the backstory, and the political undercurrents of the land of Oz. Some critics praise this ambition, calling it a richer, more panoramic epic. Others suggest it comes at the expense of a crisp, propulsive rhythm, resulting in pacing that can feel sprawling rather than pointed. This has led to a wider variance in reviewer impressions, with some viewing the film as a bold evolution and others as a sequel that sidesteps the emotional simplicity that made the first entry so emotionally persuasive.
Visuals, music, and audience expectations
Visually, Wicked: For Good remains a feast—costumes, lighting, and production design deliver the expected magical atmosphere. The musical numbers are staged with creativity and vigor, offering moments of exhilaration that remind viewers why the franchise captured imaginations in the first place. Yet for some critics, the sonic landscape of the sequel doesn’t land with the same unforgettable resonance as the original’s anthems, making some songs feel less integral to the story’s emotional journey.
Audience expectations for a Wicked sequel are, predictably, sky-high. A portion of critics argue that the film’s strengths—stellar performances, sumptuous visuals, and a bold sense of scale—still shine through, even if the overall spell feels less potent. Others contend that the stronger emotional honesty of the first film remains the gold standard and that the sequel, while entertaining, doesn’t quite recapture that first-time astonishment.
Bottom line: a commendable follow-up with tempered magic
Wicked: For Good is a commendable continuation of the beloved saga. It delivers the technical polish and big musical moments that fans expect, while offering a broader, more intricate view of its world. The film earns positive notices across the board, but many critics acknowledge that the spellbinding force of the original isn’t fully replicated. For those who crave the same sense of wonder and emotional directness, the sequel may feel like a step back from the original’s most revelatory moments. For others, it’s a bold, bright curtain-raiser for an expanded Wicked universe, one that dares to chart new moral and magical territory while keeping the core characters at the center of the enchantment.
