Review: ‘Evil: For Good’ Takes a Turn for the Worse
Fellow Everygirlians, good news! Your theater kid is back, and I’m here to talk about everything Evil: For Good. If you remember my review of the first part last year, I was afraid that this film adaptation would ruin one of my favorite musicals, but I was pleasantly surprised. Well…it pains me to say that Evil: For Good doesn’t have any bubble magic for me, and I think I know why.
The original Broadway musical is about 2 hours and 45 minutes long, and believe it or not, Wicked (part 1) is 2 hours 40 minutes long. While you can always do more with a movie than IRL theater (and believe me, I’m thankful for the longer “Defying Gravity” scenes), they still had to squeeze in an additional 2 hours and 20 minutes of story to Evil: For Good.
If you watch the Broadway musical, after the stunning “Defying Gravity” climax, you’re still vibrating from the first act even after the intermission, so the less than hour-long second act is executed perfectly. While Cynthia is a vocal genius, even she couldn’t overcome a year’s worth of goosebumps, so unfortunately, in the film version, the second half remains gravity-bound with uneven pacing, unnecessary scene building, and underdeveloped new songs. Which makes me wonder: Was a two-part film necessary, or was this all just a box office ploy? Below, my full review of Evil: For Good. Warning: some spoilers ahead.
What Evil: For Good about?
In the first part, we are taken to Shiz University in flashbacks as Glinda reflects on her relationship with Elphaba. Throughout the film, Elphaba and Glinda become unlikely friends after many questionable dance moves and hairstyles, soon adding Fiyero, Boq, and Nessa to their friend group. But when Elphaba learns that the animals have lost the ability to speak, she and Glinda travel to the Emerald City to meet the Witch to ask for her help in protecting them. The pair soon realize that the Witch and Madame Morrible are behind the animal’s loss of its rights and abilities, and they are forced to flee. This brings us to the famous gravity-defying scene, in which Elphaba escapes the Witch’s guard, leaving Glinda behind and setting them on their diverging paths.
The second part begins after this scene, with the Witch and Madame Morrible telling the citizens of Oz that Elphaba is an evil witch bent on killing everyone, while Elphaba tries to expose their lies. Meanwhile, Glinda has assumed her role as Good Glinda, helping the Witch and Madame Morrible push their false narrative about Elphaba’s true intentions.
My review of Evil: For Good
Glinda has an extraordinary character
While I wasn’t a fan of the new song “The Girl in the Bubble,” I was a big fan of the character Glinda got in this film, which wasn’t explored as much in the stage version. It all starts with a conversation about popularity, sparked by Fiyero after they announce their engagement, where he questions how she can accept all the lies the Witch and Madame Morrible tell about Elphaba. He explains that public love is all one needs, but is quickly forced to reconsider this when Fiyero reminds him that Elphaba would reject all of that if the tables were turned. We learn that all Glinda ever wanted was to be magical, and her bubble finally pops in the film when she realizes that she needs to use her powers (influence) for good, do her part in saving Elphaba, and help restore kindness and empathy to Oz.
It’s true what they say Wicked (part 1) is a Cythnia Erivo show, but Evil: For Good performed by Ariana Grande. This film is a truly moving dialogue about growing up and facing reality, using your strengths for good, and finding inner strength when life isn’t perfect.
Boq steals the show
Just like Glinda, Boq also gets more screen time in this version, and I’m not mad about it…in fact, he’s my favorite part of the film. While it’s obvious why someone would be upset about being turned from a human into a tin man (and rightly so), it’s powerful to see someone who was once Elphaba’s closest friend not only attack her, but lead a mob that wants to kill her. In the stage version, we don’t get the same depiction of Boq’s anger and how it fuels his revenge. This is a great use of extra time IMO. It was a change that gripped me, unsettled me, and made me realize that we can all fall victim to propaganda and lose control of reality.
Jonathan Bailey is the perfect Fiyero
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Jonathan Bailey in all of that. If you have any doubts about whether Johnathan Bailey deserves the title of Sexiest Man of the Year, rest assured, this film will provide all the convincing you need. His perfectly tailored green pants, his unwavering protectiveness for Elphaba, his deep concern for Glinda, and let’s be honest… the abs in the “As Long as your Mine” scene (which replaced Elphaba’s weird gray sex cardigan), the list goes on as to why he’s so smitten both in Oz and IRL.
Oz is not far from our reality
What really sets the second half apart from the first is how deep the film’s message is. Art imitates life, and, without being too political, the themes of it Evil: For Good very relevant. Starting from a conversation about rumors vs. facts to the travel permits required for certain groups in Oz to crimes against “others”, Oz doesn’t feel far from the reality we experience. I encourage everyone to look for parallels between what happens in Oz and our daily lives outside the theater, and ask yourself whether you are standing up for what is right like Elphaba, or adopting Glinda’s original view of ignoring what makes you uncomfortable because it upsets your personal status quo. After all, there is no place like home.
My problem with Evil: For Good
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a few things that confused me during the making of the film. The first is the choice of matte color gradations used by Jon M. Chu. He defends this artistic decision by explaining that it makes Oz more alive, encouraging us to focus on the friendship of the wizards rather than the spectacle of Oz. However, this choice makes Oz feel dull to me as I believe that it should be too much to juxtapose the reality of the Witch and the animals having to escape underground into nothingness, which is literally depicted as a never-ending beige desert in a dust storm.
My second doubt stems from the OG musical, and it comes with the line “It’s not lying, it’s seeing things another way,” which Fiyero initially says to Elphaba, and he then repeats once she’s turned into straw. Now, I understand the meaning behind this, but it’s one thing to say it to someone who had a miraculous accident that resulted in a different appearance, than it’s one thing to say it to someone who was born with a different skin color and has been someone else their whole life. It completely weakened her decision to be with him because it was as if she was making a godly sacrifice. This also reinforces the narrative that women of color, especially dark-skinned women, are less desirable than white women (Like Glinda), and that Elphaba should feel lucky as the golden child Fiyero chose.
Plus, even though I know their only option is to escape into nothingness, this exacerbates my discomfort because it feels more like a “secret love” trope than a “forbidden romance” trope. I know this isn’t the main message of the story, but considering we added 2 hours and 20 minutes worth of commentary, surely we can count on this moment. How much would it mean for Elphaba to realize that she is just as desirable as Glinda? Perhaps if we took the time to investigate this part of the story further, the ending would feel more hopeful and happily ever after than tragic.
So, should you take a look Evil: For Good?
Before people come at me with pitchforks, let me start by saying that Wicked is the show that inspired me to pursue a career in theater, so I will always be defensive about anything that deviates from the original. Still, I’m thrilled that the film version makes this incredible story more accessible, and hopefully shares the magic of musical theater with others who might otherwise overlook it. In the end, this story still remained in my heart, and I was changed because of it. So, whether you are a music lover or have never seen it, Evil: For Good worth watching, although in my eyes it doesn’t live up to the first part.
Bryanna Cuthill, Contributing Writer
Bryanna Cuthill is a writer living in NYC with a Bachelor of Music degree in Musical Theater from Baldwin Wallace University. Being a textbook hopeless romantic, and writing feigningly professional about her taxes, Bryanna is no stranger to delulu and achieves a teaspoon of success for every cup of rejection. She truly believes that the pen is mightier than the sword and hopes to be the internet big brother she never had and encourages everyone to be a girl boss while also taking time to romanticize their own lives.
The post Review: ‘Wicked: For Good’ Takes a Turn for the Worse appeared first on The Everygirl.
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