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It may be the most highly anticipated movie of the year.
But will Wicked: For Good actually meet expectations?
The sequel to last year’s smash hit, the movie brings back Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda and will finish telling the tale of these two witches prior to the events depicted in The Wizard of Oz.
With the film set for a November 21 release, let’s take a look (below) at what various critics across the country are saying about Wicked: For Good…
The doubts that surfaced when it was first announced that Jon M. Chu’s screen adaptation of Wicked was to be released in two parts are not exactly erased by the two hours-plus of this second installment. But it’s safe to assume the millions of fans who have made the blockbuster stage musical a global phenomenon won’t be complaining. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
If you enjoyed [the technical achievements of the first movie] and hope to see more of it, don’t you worry: The darker tone that marks this second half doesn’t mean there’s an absence of wonder in the wonderful land of Oz. — Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com
While Wicked: For Good isn’t a perfect film, it sets a new standard for adaptations that will serve as a high bar for any future filmmakers to clear. — Therese Lacson, Collider
Wicked: For Good is shorter than the first film and, while it might be a step back in terms of spectacle, it’s a leap forward in (go ahead, laugh) subtlety and emotion. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture/New York Magazine
The songs are adequate, save for Cynthia Erivo’s power ballad “No Good Deed” — personally, the only musical number in Wicked: For Good that resonates the most with her soaring vocal prowess as she truly sings her heart out. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
The Art Nouveau-style sets and ornate costumes are nothing short of astonishing, though the film relies more heavily on virtual effects, eschewing the techniques that made the blend of practical and virtual elements so seamless the last time. — Peter Debruge, Variety
Wicked: For Good is visual soup…the whole thing is ghoulishly drab. — Siddhant Adlakha, JoySauce.com
Grande in particular makes a meal out of it, examining Glinda’s need to perform, as if gazing through a funhouse mirror. — Lyvie Scott, Inverse
It’s well worth the journey back to the wonderful world of Oz. — Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
The simple fact is, Wicked: For Good becomes insufferable as soon as it ties itself in knots to connect to The Wizard of Oz, saving all the inane plotting for this one. Ariana Grande’s performance is consistent here, but Cynthia Erivo feels lost at sea and bored with the terrible material and arc for her character, a noticeably less animated performance than before. And don’t get me started on the washed-out and ugly digital look of it all, despite the colorful sets. – Brett Arnold, Yahoo
The strength of the first movie was in Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s chemistry, and the first third of the movie sorely misses it. — Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
