Wicked: For Good 4K UHD Review
“Wicked: For Good” does not stick the landing.
Picking up where the first part ended, writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox conclude the story with “Wicked: For Good.” The story, which is based on both the novel by Gregory Maguire and the Broadway show by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, finds Elphaba is now an outcast as The Wicked Witch Of The West and is being hunted by the Wizard, Madame Morrible, and their forces. She is hiding out and vowing to fight for animal rights. Glinda now works with the Wizard and is set to marry Fiyero (now a Captain of the Gale Force). Fiyero, however, is trying to find Elphaba as he still loves her. Elphaba’s sister Nessarose has become the Governor of Munchkinland but has become a selfish person. While all of this is going on, Dorothy’s story from “The Wizard Of Oz” plays out and ties into the events of “Wicked: For Good.”
Both the Broadway show and the first “Wicked” film are rewarding and clever musicals, but “Wicked: For Good” sadly does not follow suit. The first part felt very meticulous in its world building and storytelling. The second part is an absolute mess from start to finish. The songs (including the new original tracks “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl In The Bubble”) are less engaging, the dialogue is corny, Michelle Yeoh’s singing has no place being in this film, the story is clumsy and rushed, and far too much happens off-screen. Director Jon M. Chu seems to get lost in his own visuals and attempts to create new elements that do little more than make the story much longer than it needs to be. If anything, the movie just made me wish I was watching “The Wizard Of Oz” instead.
On the plus side, the sets and production design are once again extraordinary. Even with all of the CGI present here, there’s a plethora of physical sets that are easy to get lost in. Half the time it was far more appealing to just appreciate the grandeur of the set design than it was to focus on the drama unfolding on screen.
For all its faults, there’s no question that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have made Elphaba and Glinda their own. There’s a reason both have been showered with praise and awards. They are both deeply passionate about their roles and making the songs sound as good and emotional as they can possibly be. The supporting cast offers up several noteworthy performances too with Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero) and Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard) being the other standouts.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? This is a reference quality transfer for 4K. The colors are so vibrant and the ability to notice every little detail is astonishing.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? Likewise, the Atmos track here is also reference level. The score, the sound effects and especially the songs fill the room up.
Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* 4 deleted scenes
* Commentary by Jon M. Chu.
* “Making Wicked: For Good”- A 51 making of that features set footage, interviews, discussions about the characters, a look at various aspects of the production and more.
* “The True Wizard” is all about Jon M. Chu and his directorial style. A plethora of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews are included.
* “More Than Just A Place” is about the “No Place Like Home” song and the Yellow Brick Road scene.
* “The Girl In The Bubble” is all about the new Glinda song.
* “Kiamo KO”- A featurette on the castle.
* Sing-ALong version.
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