The Scribe reviewed one of 2025’s most anticipated releases, the anxiously-awaited second part of the “Wicked” duology.
Sophie Denmark | Features Reporter
4.5 out of 5 stars
I attended a matinee showing of “Wicked: For Good” on the Thursday before its official theatrical release. I did not expect to find myself crying buckets with smudged makeup at 3:30 p.m., but I guess you could say I was bewitched.
Following the beauty of “Wicked,” I doubted that the sequel would be anything short of visually stunning. As expected, costume designer Paul Tazewell and production designer Nathan Crowley delivered everything I hoped for and more. Their whimsical and imaginative aesthetics made every scene feel like it was taken straight from a painting.
The song “For Good” has a special place in my heart, and I was brought to a waterfall of tears by Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo’s (Elphaba) performance of it. Erivo’s rendition of “No Good Deed” is somehow better than the original Broadway recording — and most definitely my car performances. Grande’s vocals in “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier” were exemplary.
Sometimes musical movies can feel slow between musical numbers, but the intense momentum, editing and camera work of this film completely entranced me for the full two hours, something my attention span does not always allow. Scenes between songs were a wonderful mix of hilarious, heart-wrenching and bittersweet.
As much as I wanted to score this film with a perfect five stars, I have to admit that it lost a little luster in Michelle Yeoh’s performance as Madame Morrible. The manipulative headmaster came off as underwhelming for me, considering Yeoh’s incredible acting capabilities in other movies. Her singing fell short, and her scenes were nowhere near as enchanting as other characters.
I really can’t give enough praise to the performances of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Despite their complicated relationship in the film, their chemistry on screen — and off — is astounding. With both being such vocal powerhouses, I’m looking forward to seeing what roles they pursue next.
Whether you’re a former theatre kid or a hater waiting to be proved wrong, go see “Wicked: For Good” in theaters ASAP, or else Dorothy will melt you with a bucket of water.
Rhianna Smith-Burns | News Editor
4 out of 5 stars
I watched “Wicked: For Good” the Wednesday after its release. I went in with high expectations, having watched “Wicked” in theaters last year, and I was not disappointed.
The movie was well-paced with award-deserving musical performances, balanced plot lines and a beautiful set.
It’s impossible to talk about “Wicked: For Good” and not discuss Ariana Grande’s and Cynthia Erivo’s vocals. Grande’s high notes and Erivo’s passionate riffs were astounding, and their ability to harmonize is unmatched. Their performance of ‘For Good’ sent me spiraling and had me choking back a sob in the theater.
Director Jon M. Chu balances the layered plot effortlessly, from Elphaba’s life in exile to the Wicked Witch of the East and Dorthy’s story.
As someone who has never read the book nor watched the Broadway performance, it was fascinating to see how Dorthy connected to the Wicked story. The Wicked Witch of the East’s storyline was enthralling and Marissa Bode’s depiction of Nessarose Thropp was spot-on.
The set was nothing short of gorgeous. The colors were vivid, and each pulled-back shot of the buildings and landscape left my jaw on the ground. I especially loved the manipulation of green to portray Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship. Each time a shade of green illuminated Glinda’s face, my heart broke for the tender friendship they shared.
However, it was difficult to ignore Madame Morrible’s, played by Michelle Yeoh, strained singing. I think Yeoh is a great actress, but musicals deserve actors that can also sing, and she just couldn’t.
I also had a hard time getting over the somewhat intense glamorization of extreme thinness Seeing Grande’s sternum and the tips of her shoulder blades in each scene was disheartening, and it made me think of all the young girls who idolize, and often try to mimic, Glinda and Elphaba. The jewels on Grande’s visible shoulder bones screamed glorification to me.
Despite my couple complaints, “Wicked: For Good” is a film worth seeing in theaters or at home. Grab a friend, some popcorn and settle in to watch the magic unfold.
Syanna Santiago-Smith | Managing Editor
4 out of 5 stars
I went into “Wicked: For Good” relatively blind and wasn’t sure what to expect, but I did not regret it. I highly recommend going with friends and if you’re sappy like me, you’ll definitely feel your feelings and cry.
As someone who enjoys musicals but isn’t a diehard “Wicked” fan, I would watch it again! The story was entertaining, the characters and their dynamics were developed well, the costuming was stunning and it paid tribute to “The Wizard of Oz” tastefully.
It was an immediately captivating continuation of the first part upon opening, though I’d recommend a rewatch of part one as a refresher.
I think it balances the dreamlike technicolor of “The Wizard of Oz” while still managing to incorporate a duller, modern landscape with color-grading to match the bleak landscape of the plot. The political undertones are a well-articulated main focus, and the surroundings of the set match that.
It doesn’t shy away from the controversial concepts of the source material and goes on to apply that to modern day conflicts, which shows the musical’s continuous relevance.
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good, Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose took center stage. Their character development and dynamics felt natural, even when they were sparse on screen.
Ethan Slater stole the show despite his limited screentime. Slater’s performance as the Tinman gave me chills between his performance as the munchkin in unrequited love with Glinda to the “heartless” Tinman.
Jonathan Bailey could have stood to have more screen time, but despite this, he never failed to give the audience butterflies during “As Long As You’re Mine.”
The soundtrack is worth all of the praise. Cynthia Erivo was an absolute powerhouse in “No Good Deed”. I’ve seen complaints about her tonality being overproduced, but her vocal cracks shone through when they needed to and they left me with goosebumps. The fact that I’ve listened to it in my free time speaks volumes.
“For Good” reduced me to a puddle of tears, like, ugly crying in the theater, leaning on my friend’s shoulder in tears. The chemistry between Elphaba and Glinda never faltered and it showed in this duet especially.
The fight between Elphaba and Glinda made me laugh, while their goodbyes made me cry to the point that it was difficult to stifle it. I still find myself mourning their friendship off-screen and trying to hold my friends a bit tighter.
Wicked For Good movie art. Picture by TV Insider.