"Wicked: For Good is Ariana Grande's movie. And the film knows it, bending toward her every chance it gets. If the first Wicked centered Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the shy outcast whose discovery of her magical powers and the sinister machinery behind the land of Oz led to her being branded the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked: For Good focuses intently on her opposite number and best friend, Glinda (Grande), now positioned by the powers that be as the good (but secretly powerless) witch who"
"A shocking amount of the picture plays out on Grande's face. And the actress - one of the most photographed, written-about, obsessed-over women on the planet - holds our attention with her character's secret heartache. Erivo was the brooding, beautiful star of Wicked Part One; there, Grande made a welcome foil, with her sunny imperviousness and light-as-a feather delivery. Now, Grande revitalizes Glinda's demure little chin-dips, her perfect posture, and her skip-dance footwork as elegant expressions of a gathering inner turmoil."
Wicked: For Good centers on Glinda (Ariana Grande), portraying her as a publicly cheerful but secretly powerless witch whose role placates a populace as their world slides toward authoritarianism. The film shifts emphasis from Elphaba's origin story to Glinda's interior life and moral compromise under the Wizard's influence. Director Jon M. Chu keeps this installment shorter and less spectacular than its predecessor while increasing emotional subtlety and focus. Grande's performance anchors the film, communicating much through facial expression, posture, and gesture. The narrative weaves friendship, political coercion, and personal sacrifice into a tighter, more affecting finale that moved audiences deeply.
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