Richard Crouse: The new ‘Wicked: For Good’ rewards audiences with beautiful performances

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in a scene from 'Wicked: for Good." (Universal Pictures via AP)

The much-anticipated “Wicked: For Good,” based on act two of the 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, picks up the story years after the events of last year’s “Wicked.”

Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), the Wicked Witch of the West, is now a fugitive who works tirelessly to free Oz’s silenced talking animals and expose the fraudulent activities of the not so Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). “Our Wizard lies,” she skywrites in bold letters above Emerald City for all to see.

Her erstwhile friend Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) is now a paragon of Goodness who floats around in a giant mechanized bubble. She is a walking, talking propaganda tool controlled by The Wizard and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) to convince Emerald City citizens that all is well under The Wizard’s rule.

As her wedding to the handsome Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) approaches, Glinda attempts to put things right between Elphaba and The Wizard, only to deepen the rift between the Wicked Witch and the ruling class of Oz, including Glinda.

As things heat up between Elphaba and Glinda, a famous foursome — Dorothy and Co. — arrive in Oz, heralding troubled times that can only be healed by the power of friendship. “We can’t let good be just a word,” says Elphaba. “It has to mean something.”

With some new songs like, “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble,” “Wicked: For Good” is a heart-wrenching conclusion to the story, powered by impressive performances and emotional depth.

A darker, more serious film that the original, “For Good” explores themes of friendship, identity, and sacrifice through big, booming Broadway tunes.

Less visually crowded than part one — it’s still baroque; art directed from here to Oz and back — but there is more unused space on screen, which allows the performances to speak for themselves without feeling crowded by the ornamental excess of the first film.

The restraint places the focus on the songs and performers, trusting the material to deliver the story’s emotional punch with fewer distractions.

Erivo and Grande share great on-screen chemistry and come complete with the chops to elevate songs like “For Good” to show-stopper status. They are the movie’s secret sauce, and their story of friendship and sacrifice coupled with their supersonic vocals remain the film’s most compelling aspects.

“Wicked: For Good” is not a standalone movie. You’d likely get lost in the Ozian forest without the background story from last year’s “Wicked,” but those willing to invest five hours total into Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship will be rewarded with beautiful performances woven into an uplifting story of hope, resilience and acceptance.

4.0 stars out of 5