“Wicked: For Good” is a surprisingly satisfying sequel to the first movie. It takes a different tone than the first movie, but it still manages to keep emotional depth, and develop its charters to satisfying end points.
To start off, going in with the same expectations of the first movie will lead to disappointment. A good comparison would be the first movie is based on being at school, whilst the second movie is closer to real life experiences.
With darker concepts and bigger consequences, it contrasts with the simplified fairytale in the first movie. There are fewer big dance numbers, and more solo songs dealing with internal feelings. This is why it follows the first movie beautifully while not being similar at all.
Instead of redoing a more lighthearted and whimsical story, the new movie adds emotional depth and complexity to the characters. This makes it a wildly successful sequel that manages to expand on the story in a way that does not feel rehashed, or boring.
The actors also get to show off their range in the movie. When I left the theater I felt like I’d been on an emotional rollercoaster. From love, to grief, anger, to compassion, the emotional range of the characters is far greater than in the first movie, it allows for the actors’ talent to shine through.
The final thing that is significantly different in this movie is that it is more direct in its messaging. The first movie has lots of subtle messages, but because of the more whimsical nature it is easier to just see the story and not see the deeper meanings.
This movie, because it is more grounded in reality, has far louder messaging. The fascist parallels are 100 times more explicit and impactful compared to the first movie. The messages about hate and lies are even explicitly stated at times
This movie is a good watch, even though it is different from the first movie. It follows beautifully as a sequel, providing more depth and story, while leading to an ending that is unsatisfying in the moment but perfectly done in retrospect.