Wicked: For Good Casts a Darker, More Powerful Spell in London Premiere
Almost a year after drag queens in pink taffeta filled the Royal Festival Hall, the sequel to the cinematic phenomenon, Wicked: For Good, premiered last Tuesday at the Odeon Leicester Square. The atmosphere was notably more restrained than the extravagant spectacle of its predecessor's European premiere, despite palpable excitement from crowds outside, particularly when leading ladies Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo graced the green carpet.
A Magnificent Yet Darker Return to Oz
Yet, the film itself is just as impressive as the first, if not superior. Director Jon M. Chu returns to helm this considerably darker chapter, which may explain the audience's more sober reaction. The story, based on the second act of the wildly successful stage musical, delves deeper into the complex relationship between Glinda and Elphaba.
As Glinda, Ariana Grande plumbs mighty emotional depths with wonderful skill. Cynthia Erivo continues to portray the good-hearted but green-skinned Elphaba, who becomes a pariah thanks to a conspiracy orchestrated by the scheming Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his fellow conniver Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh).
Modern Parallels and Spectacular Visuals
The film begins mesmerisingly with the construction of the yellow brick road. The plot thickens as a deceitful propaganda campaign convinces the people of Oz that Elphaba seeks their destruction. In a clever moment of manipulation, Morrible uses her magic to change Elphaba's broomstick vapour trail message from 'The Wizard Lies' to 'Oz Dies'.
One doesn't have to look hard to find analogies to modern culture. The arranged marriage between Glinda and the handsome Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey)—whose true love is Elphaba—creates a union unhappy from the start, drawing faint but recognisable parallels to royal tumult closer to home.
Visually, the film is extravagantly sumptuous. The sets and costumes are truly spectacular, and the animal exodus from Oz, where creatures have been stripped of their speech, is superbly rendered. Erivo and Grande are magnificent throughout, handling a very funny fight scene beautifully and delivering their songs with proper star quality. For fans of the stage musical, there are even one or two new songs to savour.
While you will need to have seen the first film to fully appreciate this sequel, Wicked: For Good promises to not leave audiences feeling short-changed. The film opens nationwide on Friday.
