I’ve always been a big theater guy. In high school, I was president of the drama club. At Bethel College, where I attended for two years before transferring to EMU, my primary scholarship was in technical theater. I like live theater. More than that, though, I especially enjoy musical theater. Whether it’s going to live shows, listening to soundtracks on Spotify, or watching movie adaptations, I love a good show tune.

While I try to learn about musical theater and be aware of the big-name shows, there are definitely still gaps in my knowledge. For a long time, “Wicked” was one of those. “Wicked” the movie, released in two parts, is an adaptation of an adaptation of an adaptation. The film was based on the stage musical of the same name, with music by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, which was based on a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which was based on the 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum – very meta, I know.

Despite having only known one song from “Wicked” – the ubiquitous “Defying Gravity,” sung by sopranos around the world at their senior recitals – I went to see the first film when it came out in theaters. I was impressed. Every song was a hit, with “Dancing Through Life” being a particular favorite of mine which I can’t believe I’d never heard before.

With the first part having set such a high bar, I decided I had to watch the second half, “Wicked: For Good,” as soon as I could. So, on opening night, I found myself near the middle of the theater with some friends, ready for a glorious 2 hours and 17 minutes of musical goodness. 

When I left, though, I felt underwhelmed. The movie started fine. The musical numbers felt a little reserved, but I think that’s okay at the beginning; leaving space for the real show stoppers later on feels like a fair artistic choice. So, I waited for those big songs – the ones I’d be humming as I drove home. But they never came. Each time Ariana Grande or Cynthia Erivo started singing, they sounded great. But I wasn’t feeling it. There was buildup, but no musical catharsis. Just song after song that left me wanting more.

In a stage musical, I think that’s a choice you can make. The first half of “Wicked” ends with “Defying Gravity,” guaranteed to bring down the house. In the second half, things resolve, and perhaps there’s less need for that giant energy. In a movie adaptation, though, I just don’t buy it. With the fantastic production value, color, and depth of expression, the movie needed those big musical numbers to match, and it just didn’t have them. 

Music wasn’t my only gripe, though. The story, to me, felt flawed. Again, I think that in a stage musical you can get away with things that you can’t in a movie. The audience will suspend its disbelief to a far greater extent for the stage. In a movie, though, the plot needs to be airtight, and “Wicked: For Good’s” plot was anything but.

My biggest complaint: The major conflict of the story is resolved when Glinda goes to the Emerald City and claims power through solely verbal means, basically saving the world. If that’s all it took, why did the movie even need to happen? She could have done that from the start! You might argue that Elphaba had to die first. Sure, whatever. Why didn’t she fake her death before? And why did it have to be a secret from Glinda? It just doesn’t make sense.

Also, what’s with the animal persecution? I feel like it’s never quite expressed why they’re being discriminated against. The Wizard already has total power – why does he need scapegoats (pun intended). 

Finally, if Elphaba has access to the most powerful magic in Oz, why not use it to actually do something? Surely she could have managed to take down the Wizard or change people’s minds about animals. Instead, she seems to spend her time chilling in a tastefully decorated tree, talking to animals, and engaging in non-magical air to ground combat from her flying broomstick. There was not a fireball or transformation spell to be seen.

Now, despite my problems with it, was the movie bad? No. Although it felt like a letdown compared to “Wicked,” it was still a good time. Getting to experience the end of the story was worth the ticket price. Although I was a little disappointed, I don’t regret going. So, in the words of the Ozians, thank Goodness.