The long-awaited Wicked: For Good was finally released with mixed reviews from audience members. Director Jon M. Chu’s ambitious second-act triumph of the iconic musical included the addition of two new songs, sung by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, respectively, as well as expanded scenes to give viewers more context.

Act Two of the original musical is very fast-paced and usually runs an hour, compared to the movie, which runs 2 hours and 17 mins, significantly longer. One of the new songs, “No Place Like Home,” introduces a new perspective into Elphaba’s character and shows her transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda’s new song, “Girl In The Bubble,” also presents Glinda’s inner conflict with public pressure and isolation. 

Alongside the new songs is the same Oz that the first movie introduces, but with a newly developed classic Yellow Brick Road. The set design by Academy-Award Winner Nathan Crowley is undeniably magnificent with its close attention to detail to honor The Wizard of Oz and to fully immerse viewers into the world of Oz. Academy-Award winner Paul Tazewell introduces beautifully designed costumes for all characters, including a grand rendition of Glinda’s wedding gown and Elphaba’s delicate dress.  

The highlight of the film, though, is the title track “For Good” sung beautifully by Erivo and Grande, which shows the accumulation of their friendship. Both movies demonstrate the emotional arc that the onstage musical failed to present, and this movie deepens the characters’ stories and their emotional trajectories. All in all, Wicked: For Good is a movie you don’t want to miss out on. Make sure to bring tissues when you watch, as it is a tearjerker.