Wicked: For Good

I walk into this with the same issue as always: musicals just aren’t my thing. At all. The “suddenly we sing” logic drives me up the wall, and Wicked: Part II reminded me of that from the start. On top of that, this one feels even more clearly like a movie that was split in two — not purely because the story demanded it, but because the machine did — and that sense of “let’s stretch it a bit” follows the film for a good while.

That said: it’s technically stunning. The production level is outrageous. Costumes, sets, design — Oz is a massive showcase and, at times, genuinely hypnotic. There are sequences built to leave you staring at the screen, half amazed, even if a part of you is thinking, “Okay, yes… but move.”

The best thing here, no question, is the beating heart of the central duo. They carry the film with real force, and when the movie lowers the volume and simply looks at them, it works. There’s a heavier, darker emotional weight than in the first part, and that can be a strength… when the film doesn’t get trapped inside its own spectacle.

My biggest complaint is pacing. Sometimes it pushes forward with purpose, and sometimes it circles the same ground, like it needs to justify every step just to arrive where it already knows it wants to land. And yes, I missed a bit of lightness. Less solemnity, a little more spark — not because it needs to be funny, but because contrast gives the story oxygen.

Still, it’s not a bad movie. It’s a flashy, ambitious conclusion with performances strong enough to keep pulling even when the writing starts to feel heavy. I’m still not “a musical person,” but there’s more than enough talent and craft here to understand why it will hit a lot of people hard. I liked it… even if it also left me with that “okay, we’re done now” feeling, which isn’t exactly what you want from a great finale.