Gravity wins in Wicked: For Good

Anyone who watched the play Wicked knows that “Defying Gravity” only happens once at the end of Act I and that song remains better than anything in Act II. But you need—or at least want—Act II to pull everything together for this riff on the Wizard of Oz. Like how did that Tin Man lose his heart? And why does water kill a green-faced witch? Those questions get answered in a mostly satisfactory manner as the story spins from the original novel and its theme emphasizing “no place like home” to one about the value of friendship. Interspersed comes the fairy tale realization that the emperor has no clothes, blended with political observations noting some very bad traits found in fascism …all wrapped in gorgeous pink, green, and a variety of rainbow colors. As with 2024’s Wicked, its For Good follow up features eye popping special effects along with striking costumes and colorful imagination. Partially to justify splitting a single night’s play into two separate feature films, For Good adds a couple of songs and elongates scenes, giving a sense that commercialism ranks above art. This means fans get to wallow in a world they adore, one whose aim means pleasing the crowd…and making a lot of money.    Ultimately, Wicked: For Good—or essentially Act II--fails to defy the downward pulling gravity of its source material, a structure that means it fired its best shots the first time around. While not providing the exhilarating rising momentum of its first act Wicked: For Good nonetheless offers resolution with flash and flair.