Commentary: ‘Wicked: For Good’ Echoes ‘V For Vendetta’
by Frank Martin
It’s weird the similarities that are found in various movies. Of course, that doesn’t mean movies necessarily copy each other. But there are only so many different kinds of plots a story can employ. The execution and variation of those plots is what matters. So analyzing the similarities, despite all the differences, can be interesting. And given how Wicked: For Good opens, there is an echo of — surprisingly — V for Vendetta in the story.
After Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) was declared the Wicked Witch at the end of the first film, the continuation picks up with her operating as a fugitive. The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), who had previously discussed his plans for the Yellow Brick Road, begins putting the project into practice. The road is under construction in the first scene of the movie when Elphaba attacks. For the majority of the film, she has to employ stealthy tactics when sneaking into the Emerald City to confront the Wizard, and also when she speaks to Glinda (Ariana Grande).
Wicked and V for Vendetta check many different boxes. One takes place in a dystopian future while the other takes place in a fantasy world. Additionally: one is also a musical. But there are heavy overtones of fascism in both films. Of course, V for Vendetta takes place in an authoritarian England. And while Oz isn’t a dystopian land, the Wizard operates in many ways like a dictator. He spreads lies to curry political favor, forcing Elphaba to violently disrupt his message and plans. V (Hugo Weaving) and Elphaba are both labeled as terrorists despite fighting for freedom and justice. The way Elphaba uses her magic to sneak around echoes V’s stealthiness. It’s interesting to see that kind of character overlap play out when the film’s themselves are so different.
Wicked: For Good is now in theaters.
