A year ago, when I sat in a press screening for Wicked, I remember the moment the entire audience believed we could fly.I was one of many established Wicked fans in the audience, and like others, I was wary of believing that the long-awaited movie adaptation could live up to the musical's legacy. Then, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba sang "The Wizard and I."Every eye was glued to the screen, every breath was hitched, and when Elphaba took that first leap into the air, every audience member's heart did the same thing. When she belted out the final notes of the song, we were undeniably hers.While it is one of the best movies of the year, Wicked: For Good has no such moment.Wicked: For Good picks up a few years after 2024's Wicked leaves off, with Glinda (Ariana Grande, in the best performance of her career) installed as the Wizard's mouthpiece and Elphaba firmly in her palace as the Wicked Witch of the West in the eyes of the Ozian public.As Elphaba continues her fight to expose the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) for his lies and save the animal inhabitants of Oz, Glinda is busy trying to bring her BFF back into the fold. She's still convinced the system can be changed from the inside (and so, ultimately, is this movie).In the end, however, we all know how the story goes. A farm girl from Kansas shows up in a house carried by a tornado, killing Elphaba's sister. Elphaba and Glinda fight, Boq becomes the Tin Man, Fiyero becomes the Scarecrow, and Dorothy defeats the Wicked Witch by throwing water on her. The Wizard leaves in his balloon, and Glinda is left alone to become Glinda the Good and rule over Oz.Therein lies Wicked: For Good's biggest problem: being the second half of Wicked the musical.The stage version of Wicked is famous for having a stronger first half than second, and director Jon M. Chu unfortunately did nothing to mitigate the plot and character problems that already existed.While Part One lets its characters breathe and have their own motivations, many of their actions in this second film only happen because that's how it happens in the original story.There's just no fighting the source material. Why does Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) turn into a scarecrow? Because there's a scarecrow in the original. Why does Fiyero then join with Dorothy's gang? Because the scarecrow was with Dorothy in the original. Why does the Cowardly Lion blame Elphaba instead of the Wizard for his troubles? Because he does in the original. Why does Glinda believe that a bucket of water melts her best friend? Because it does in the original. Why can't Elphaba stay and lead the revolution? Because at the end of The Wizard of Oz, she's defeated.This devotion to the source material leaves nothing to chance. There are no moments that can surprise audiences, because we already know exactly what is going to happen. And now that we know this version of the characters, we can't be surprised at how much we love them.Yes, there were a few times the audience of critics applauded, but the first didn't come until "No Good Deed," much later in the film than "The Wizard and I." None of the clapping was as universal or as long-lasting as in the first installment.Erivo and Grande are once again spectacular, and when they finally perform the second half's showstopper, "For Good," it is one of the best scenes audiences will see in any movie this year. But it comes too little, and too late to make For Good the kind of instant classic that Part One is.While Part One was the story of how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch, For Good is the story of how Glinda becomes Good. Therefore, Grande is given a lot more to do in this one than Erivio, and she takes full advantage.Grande's Glinda always seems on the verge of an emotional eruption. She's controlled her life, her smile, her emotions since she was little, but now that she's confronted with true love (Elphaba, not Fiyero), she doesn't know how to express herself.The tension is palpable every time Glinda even glances Elphaba's way. Fans who interpret the two as ill-fated lovers will find much to dig into here, from neck muscle twitches to slight smiles to stolen eye contact; this Glinda has never loved anyone as much as she loves Elphaba.No matter what the script says, the chemistry between Glinda and Elphaba massively eclipses Fiyero's chemistry with either woman. He's simply there to be an absurdly handsome distraction.Once again, the only reason Glinda and Elphaba don't end up together in Wicked: For Good is that they don't end up together in The Wizard of Oz.The world of Oz is still a sumptuous visual spectacle, filled with fabulous costumes by Oscar winner Paul Tazewell. But this time, it's much more like our real world than we'd like.Goldblum's Wizard is eerily Trumpian as a fraud who brags that he could reveal his lies in front of a crowd, and they'd still love him.One of the film's new songs, "No Place Like Home," is the movie's big swing at a Trump-era anthem of resistance. However, the message of Elphaba wanting to stay and fight for the land she calls home is undercut when, at the end, she realizes she must leave and let Glinda fight her battles in Oz for her.A revolution isn't needed, Elphaba realizes; they just needed to find the right figurehead for the systems already in place.In this way, For Good is trying to build its legacy as a Trump-era Hamilton. It pushes liberal politics, but never leftist or radical ones. It speaks of starting a revolution, but settles for a message of working within the system instead.All of this being said, the performances in the film are undeniable. Erivo is an all-time talent, and Grande is establishing herself as one of the best actors in Hollywood. I can't wait to see what she does next.Glinda's new song, "The Girl in the Bubble," is a highlight, although I don't think it's good enough to beat KPop Demon Hunters' "Golden" or Sinners' "I Lied to You" for Best Song at the Oscars. Erivo and Grande definitely deserve their second nominations each for playing their characters, but I doubt Chu will get a directing nomination like he should have last year.Wicked: For Good isn't the kind of landmark film that Part One was. Still, audiences will be delighted, entertained, and moved.Three out of five stars.