The big challenge after the success of last year’s Wicked was how to sustain the devout and religious-like enthusiasm for the first film, and its imaginative pairing of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Otherness, self-love, the search to belong and be part of a community, and standing up for what is right even if not popular; these were all themes that the first installment had touched on - and for some fans, the feeling was also that the more memorable songs of the stage musical had already been part of that first film. The Act 2 songs really hinged on a single song, For Good.

Granted, there’s some truth in all of the above, I’ll then give full credit to director John Chu, and to the writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, for turning this second instalment into an engrossing, narrative-driven drama that exceeded my own expectations. If you thought this Part 2 would simply be more of the same, think again. Now that we’ve established the characters, Act 2 can proceed on the hard drive in terms of character arcs and plot development, incorporating the 1939 movie adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into this film’s storytelling structure effectively. Granted, a suspension of disbelief will be requested and required, but given that we’re talking about Oz in the first place, we shouldn’t be surprised.

Events of this sequel take place years after Wicked (2024); and Elphaba is now known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda has taken on the mantle of Glinda the Good, a public figure that’s like a ward of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Nessarose (Marissa Bode), Elphaba’s paraplegic half-sister, is now Governor of Munchkinland, and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is Captain of the Wizard’s Guard - and at the start of the film, still conflicted as to where his loyalties lie, to Glinda or Elphaba.

The source material, Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, was always a wonderful reimagining of the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West, and creating layers to the Wizard character, while reflecting on how Oz is ruled. It squarely put Elphaba, despite being the Witch, as the one who represented ultimate good by fighting for the rights of animals. This is really brought sharply in focus in the course of this film, and kudos to the writers for still allowing the deep bond between our two main protagonists to be part of the narrative ebb and flow, even if the pair are on opposing sides.

Two of the first film’s scene stealers are now relegated to minor characters, and we don’t see all that much of Bowen Young as Pfannee, and Brownwyn James as ShenShen. They’re here, but practically acting like wallpaper, in the deep background. It’s the Wizard and Madame Morrible who have more crucial roles, as the two embody the ruling order of Oz, and engage in a lot of subterfuge and manipulation in the name of Oz’s version of patriotism.

If anything, thanks to the strong character arcs, the quicker pacing of the plot developments, and the incorporation of the 1939 film, Wicked: For Good is an even stronger viewing experience than the first film, and I wouldn’t be surprised if nominations for film awards season are forthcoming. They’ve managed the trick of making this sequel bigger and brighter.