Many people just see a movie once, and that’s that. I walked out of Wicked: For Good on opening night, overflowing with emotions, so much so that I was driving back to AMC 18 hours later to see it again. As a hardcore Wicked fan of nearly 10 years, I’ve been waiting forever for this movie, and it was even better than I imagined. On opening night, I came dressed head to toe in Wicked merch (yes, even my socks), and I went with my mom, who first took me to see Wicked on Broadway when I was in sixth grade. Since then, we have gone to see Wicked: Part 1, and gone back to Broadway a second time, so watching this movie with her made this night extra special.
Entering the theater, I saw people of all ages decked out in Wicked merch, some even in full costume. My local AMC had the soundtrack playing through the speakers and a large display with props for fans to take photos before heading into the theater. The concession stand had Wicked popcorn buckets, cups, and merch, even the popcorn was pink and green.
Each scene was just as exciting as the next, blending moments from the Broadway show with nods to the Wizard of Oz. My favorite sequence from the play has always been the transition from the songs “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)” to “As Long as You’re Mine” to “No Good Deed”, so I was super excited to see these scenes come to life in the movie.
One thing I paid close attention to during both watches was the costume designs. I recently sat in on a discussion at my school with Paul Tazewell, the costume designer for both Wicked movies, so I noticed all of the little details he had mentioned. One of my favorite things I caught on my first watch was Glinda’s costume changes throughout the wedding scenes. The changes are subtle and quick, but they add so much personality to her character and how she changes emotionally throughout each scene.Â
Seeing it a second time allowed me to catch little moments I missed during my first watch. My favorite easter egg was the closing image of Glinda whispering to Elphaba, which is a direct homage to the original Broadway poster. There were so many Wizard of Oz references, from Nessa’s shoes turning ruby red to the rainbow appearing in the closing scene. The Grimmery flying open at the end is Elphaba’s way of letting Glinda know she survived, which was something I didn’t catch the first time.Â
What I love about the movies is how you can really see each character’s emotions just by their face and body language, which makes the characters feel more human. In the beginning, when Glinda is singing “Thank Goodness,” you can visibly see the upset in her eyes, but because she is so beloved by Munchkinland, she has to put on a facade and be the person everyone expects her to be. And slight spoiler alert, I really loved how Ethan Slater portrayed the Tin Man in this movie. His emotion was so palpable you could almost feel, through the screen, how angry he was with Elphaba and Nessarose; it was almost scary.
Wicked: Part 1 and Wicked: For Good are the kind of movies you can endlessly rewatch and still find new moments to love. The second I got home from watching For Good, I put on Wicked: Part 1 (and I had just watched it the night before). Even through my second watch, I still cried just as much to “For Good’, and walked out of the theater sobbing both times. If you saw Wicked: For Good and weren’t sure if you totally loved it, didn’t follow the story, or maybe missed a few key moments, I would highly recommend going back to the theater for a re-watch. Because trust me, you will be changed for good.Â