Wicked: For Good: A Spectacular Finale That Equals Its Predecessor (Blu-ray)

The Film:

In 2024, director Jon M. Chu delivered the first half of what turned out to be a marvelous adaptation of the smash Broadway hit "Wicked," one that earned massive critical acclaim, ten Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), and raked in a stunning $758 million at the box office. Great musicals seem to be more and more rare at the theater nowadays, so getting one that hit all of the right notes was certainly a pleasant & delightful surprise. Now Chu & co. are back for the second half, "Wicked: For Good," in which we learn the ultimate fate of Elphaba & Glinda, best friends who were torn apart, and all of the others they've met on their incredible journey. Will this talented team of filmmakers & the wonderful cast be able to stick the landing and give the fans exactly what they were hoping for?

As the film opens, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now labeled as "The Wicked Witch of the West," has gone into hiding while she continues to fight for animal freedom. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a spokesperson for The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and has gotten engaged to Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), who has been made Captain of the "Gale Force," charged with finding Elphaba. Fearing for their safety, animals have begun fleeing Oz, despite Elphaba's pleas for them to stay and help her fight The Wizard, but the Cowardly Lion (Voice of Colman Domingo) merely instills more fear in them when he reveals that she was the one who created the flying monkeys. When Elphaba returns to Emerald City to visit Glinda, the latter tries to convince her to stay and join The Wizard, but it's soon revealed that he's just as dishonest as he was before, reaffirming her resolve to fight him and make Oz free for all.

When it came to the first "Wicked," the film had a rather light, bubbly tone for the most part as it set the stage for Elphaba & Glinda's friendship and the revelation of the true villains of the story, which leads the two down different paths as we come to the epic conclusion of the tale. Here we find a much darker, far more serious tone as Elphaba continues her fight for animal rights, while The Wizard & Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) continue to smear her name, with Glinda showing concern for her friend, but enjoying her new position too much to really do anything about it. As if that wasn't enough, we also follow the rest of the ensemble that has Fiyero torn between his duty and his love for Elphaba, and Boq (Ethan Slater) still longing for Glinda, but stuck in his current position as servant to the new Governor, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who has fallen into quite a sullen mood after her sister's departure.

All of it adds up to a richly emotional second act that builds marvelously on the first film by upping the stakes and giving each character their due, weaving all of its incredible elements together (including its stunning production design, costumes, cinematography, makeup, and visual effects) into a magnificent finale that, just like its predecessor, hits all the right notes. And speaking of notes, the music continues to be just as incredible as before, featuring such wonderful numbers as the titular "For Good," "No Good Deed," and new songs like "No Place Like Home" and "The Girl in the Bubble." Not that there was ever any doubt that the musical elements would be any less grand than before, but it's great to see that they knocked it out of the park to deliver several powerful tunes to enrich the story even further.

Of course, no review would be complete without mentioning the stunning ensemble, headed by Oscar nominees Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande. Their moving performances drive the film forward with such strong emotion that it comes as no surprise to find them getting showered with a multitude of award nominations once again. The wonderful supporting cast must also be mentioned, for Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode all help turn this epic conclusion into an unforgettable experience.

In the end, "Wicked: For Good" is easily just as fantastic as its predecessor, incorporating all of the same effective elements (the performances, the visuals, the music, etc.) into quite a powerful finale. As mentioned, great musicals seem to be an unfortunate rarity nowadays, so when something like this comes along, it's a rather special treat. It was quite a risky move to split the beloved Broadway show into two films, but as we can see, it was truly the correct decision, ultimately leaving us with a phenomenal adaptation that fans will cherish.

Video/Audio:

"Wicked: For Good" comes to Blu-ray in a 2.39:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of marvelous quality. The picture is beautifully sharp & vibrant throughout its entire 137-minute duration, perfectly highlighting its gorgeous production design, costumes, and visual effects. Likewise, the Dolby Atmos audio track is outstanding, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and, most importantly, the music in fantastic quality. Overall, Universal Pictures has done an amazing job in both areas for the film's physical debut.

Special Features:

Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu

Making Wicked: For Good (51 Minutes): A fantastic look behind the scenes at the making of the film, featuring interviews with cast & crew.

The True Wizard (6 Minutes): A featurette that takes a look at Director Jon M. Chu.

More Than Just a Place (6 Minutes): A featurette that explores the "No Place Like Home" sequence.

The Girl in the Bubble (6 Minutes): A featurette that delves into Glinda's original song for the film.

Kiamo Ko (6 Minutes): A featurette that focuses on Elphaba's hideout.

Deleted Scenes (4 Sequences, 6 Minutes)

Conclusion:

Jon M. Chu's "Wicked: For Good" is a spectacular finale that is equal in every way to its predecessor, with marvelous performances from Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande (and the rest of the fantastic ensemble), gorgeous production design & costumes, and, of course, excellent songs/music. Together with "Wicked," it stands as one of the best musical adaptations to come along in quite some time, one that ultimately once again hits all the right notes.

Score: 4/5

Available on Blu-ray starting tomorrow.

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