4 reactions to spiritual, allegorical concepts in 'Wicked: For Good'

The Collision 

Christians who are concerned about “Wicked: For Good” taking a “revisionist” approach to “a notoriously evil witch” might want to skip this film, The Collision editor-in-chief, Daniel Blackaby, wrote in his review.

“Some of the tension points from the first film remain, including several dramatic scenes in which Elphaba conducts spells from a magic book (the ‘Grimmerie’),” Blackaby wrote. “Those who are uncomfortable with fictionalized witchcraft — particularly when undertaken by a protagonist — will be better off skipping this return to Oz.”

Blackaby, who holds a Ph.D. in "Christianity and the Arts" and a ThM in apologetics, philosophy and worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, argued that “Wicked: For Good” is “less problematic” than the first movie. 

“Yes, the lead up and implied sexual encounter between two characters pushes the upper limits of a PG rating, but the prominence of sexuality and sexual identity is much less overt in this film,” the editor-in-chief asserted. 

“Likewise, the first film largely blamed society for the existence of evil, with its iconic line, 'Are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?’ In contrast, the sequel promotes a more nuanced perspective of moral responsibility that better aligns with a Christian worldview,” Blackaby stated. 

While Blackaby acknowledged that “Wicked: For Good” is not as “fun or vibrant” as its predecessor, he maintained that it “offers a satisfying and more dramatic conclusion to the tale.” 

“If the first film felt like a product of its time, an illuminating glimpse into the pervading values of today (for better or worse), then ‘Wicked: For Good’ feels like a timeless myth about the internal struggle between good and evil. At the end of the film, the characters question the difference between ‘better’ and ‘good,’” Blackaby concluded. “Whether this sequel is ‘better' is debatable, but it is certainly ‘good,' and that is probably enough for most audiences.”