“Wicked: For Good,” released on Nov. 21, defies gravity once more with broken box office records, excited moviegoers and a star-packed soundtrack despite some pitfalls.

Brand collaborations such as Chili’s “Good Witch Marg” and viral soundbites signal that it’s once again Wicked season. Moviegoers are rushing to the theaters for the release of Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked: For Good,” the act-two accompaniment for 2024’s “Wicked.” Featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, the movie honors the original musical while making some changes that have divided fans.

‘Wicked: For Good” took the crown for the biggest global and domestic opening for a movie based on a musical and the largest opening ever for Erivo, Grande and Chu. The movie placed just behind “Wicked” as the second largest global promotional partner campaign for a Hollywood-based studio, at $330 million with 400 partners. 

In “Wicked: For Good,” Elphaba is seeking to expose the Wizard of Oz as a fraud while fighting for the rights of animals in Oz. We see Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship tested as never before in their love triangle with Fiyero and learn what it means to support one another despite conflicting feelings. “Wicked: For Good” also tackles bigotry when Elphaba speaks out about animal rights and gets exiled for it, while the animals escape Oz in fear of persecution. Original elements of “The Wizard of Oz” fall into place for audience members as they watch Fiyero, Elphaba, Glinda and more work to save Oz, while the characters find out who they truly are in the process.

I had high expectations with “Wicked: for Good,” which were blown out of the water. I loved the first movie and found this second part to be an equally engaging storyline filled with phenomenal sets and costuming, complex characters and an impressive soundtrack. While it did struggle in its world-building and certain moments of action, I thought the piece was altogether a wonderful sequel.

Stephen Schwartz collaborated with John Powell for the score to provide a sound that was close to what fans of the musical loved, while still embracing new developments that stray from the original. “Wicked: For Good” features two new songs — “Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home” — alongside other changes. While these songs weren’t Grammy winners, I thought they fit nicely within the plot of the film and provided some extra context. 

The musical standouts for me, as a longtime fan, were “March of the Witch Hunters,” “For Good” and Erivo’s “No Good Deed.” Erivo flexes her vocal prowess in “No Good Deed,” although her iconic “Fiyero” yell at the beginning of the song was sorely missed in the soundtrack. The tune is a turning point for Elphaba, as she gives all that she has to save Fiyero, and contemplates what “good” truly means. 

I thought “March of the Witch Hunters” was an excellent ensemble piece that demonstrated the dangers of groupthink and propaganda, with Ethan Slater’s standout solo as Boq. “For Good” has always been an anthem of friendship and the power of sisterhood, and I’m a firm believer that Erivo and Grande do it justice. I also found Grande’s reprise of “I’m Not That Girl” to be heartbreaking and noteworthy, followed by a powerhouse duet with “As Long As You’re Mine.” 

Erivo, Grande and Bailey stunned in their respective roles and led an excellent cast once more, giving way for the secondary plotlines and characters of Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose to shine. Wicked represents the dangers of bigotry and the conditions of propaganda under authoritarianism, something that Slater and Bode portray excellently in their performance. 

I do believe that “Wicked: For Good” was an absolute triumph, but that doesn’t mean it is without fault. Many were frustrated with the phrase “in a clock tick” that the characters would use instead of “just a moment” or “in a second”, as it sounded forced and was frustratingly overused. Additionally, some had problems with the tone of the second half, alongside the plot, which is mildly detached from the first, although this issue lies more with the original musical adaptation than the movie itself. Viewers also thought the two new songs were weak additions to the soundtrack. 

I think the criticism “Wicked: For Good” received was valid, but doesn’t axe the movie as a whole. I see it as a triumph once again by John M. Chu, a good deed done for musical fans.