Director Jon Chu can’t find right tone, wastes performances in for ‘Wicked for Good’

The best thing director Jon Chu was able to lend to the story of “Wicked” was scope. He succeeded more than anyone expected with the debut part of this two-part epic adaptation of the Broadway musical.

Unfortunately, Chu’s sense of scope could overcome what was the primary problem with the musical – a second act that didn’t offer much in the way of an emotional payoff. In “Wicked for Good,” that problem is even more pronounced.

Chu’s follow up is a helter-skelter mix where the timing is off. The editing is equally so where both just take the viewer out of the film, lending the audience to believe the film’s runtime matches its predecessor when it’s close to a half hour less. With all due respect, there were several times when I looked to the person viewing it with me and said: “IT’S. NOT. OVER.” with dismay.

Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in “Wicked For Good.”

That ultimately does a disservice to his two lead performers, Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) who give complementary, sterling and passionate performances.

The two find themselves evermore at odds as friends who have chosen different paths for their fight against the obvious corruption of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz portrayed by Jeff Goldblum who continues the deliciously off-kilter turn from the first film, married with a touch of tragedy in the “Wicked for Good.”

The Wiz is easily manipulated to continue his campaign against Elphaba inciting the minions of Oz and its adjacent lands to turn against her by branding her a traitor and giving her the moniker of the Wicked Witch of the West. The mastermind behind the campaign: Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who may be the only true witch in the film. Yeoh imbues the character with an arrogant, chilly demeanor and she owns it matching her castmates note for note.

Best friends Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo, left) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) find themselves on opposite sides in the musical sequel “Wicked: For Good.”

The other victim in these proceedings: the musical’s overall message. Ultimately, the film is an allegory about race as the animals of Oz, at the behest of the Wizard, are relegated to lower class status and chased from.

Additionally, the musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman adapted from the novel by Gregory Maguire, provides an outlet to explore female empowerment between the characters of Elphaba and Glinda as they each find their truths walking entirely different paths.

But lastly, the film, coincidentally, is a rumination on fascism as xenophobia consumes Oz. There exist some very striking and compelling moments, one in particular where two characters talk about suddenly being subjects of persecution alluding to the fact that if the powers that be in Oz can come for them, they can come for anyone. Some will consider it a timely message.

Much of it is lost in direction that is aimless as if Chu forgot the mission and forgot the assignment. That is disappointing as someone who wasn’t overly fond of the stage production who thoroughly appreciated the craftsmanship of the original and tone Chu set.

However, with the necessity to transition to something far more serious, he stumbles. It probably doesn’t help that he had the weak template from the stage production, but he set the expectations, he needed to deliver.

Will all of this matter to those who’ve been breathlessly awaiting this film’s arrival? Not likely, as the assignment may actually be about filling the studio’s coffers, but as I sat in the theater after the film ended in an Orlando theater, I couldn’t help but notice the difference in the audiences I’d experienced both parts with.

For the original: deserved, prolonged applause. For this one, a few polite claps and a rush to the exits.

Fans of the musical will be happy, those who had hopes for something more from “Wicked for Good” will be thoroughly disappointed.