It’s been nearly thirty years since the last Salem debacle, and the Sanderson sister’s fame has grown massively in this Halloween-oriented town. Now it’s the year 2022, and outcast Becca (Whitney Peak), along with her best friend Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), has found herself the newest person to summon these dangerous witches to this unassuming Massachusetts town. When those three terrifying sisters return, Becca finds herself front and center, struggling to right the wrongs her and her friends have committed. Hocus Pocus 2 sees Bette Midler (Winifred), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah), Kathy Najimy (Mary) return from the grave for the first time in years–and they are sure to wreak havoc on this quiet town once again.
Let’s be honest: the only reason that I’ve come to like Hocus Pocus is because I’ve seen it fifty-seven times (or something like that). I know that there are issues with the film, and the reality is that I’ve managed to appreciate the film because I’ve had the “opportunity” to see it so many times–thanks to my beautiful wife. Hocus Pocus 2 aims to rekindle the magic that existed to many in that first film–and to some degree I believe that actually manages to happen. The reality is that long-time fans of the franchise wanted to see more of the same–and they got the semi-maniacal Sanderson sisters again (at least for a little bit). Viewers get to hear some comedy that is comparable to what they heard back in the early nineties, and the film’s protagonist walks a similar path to those from the original film. For these reasons viewers are able to hop on board for a short while and entertain the idea of Hocus Pocus 2 throughout portions of its existence.
The writing this time around–pitiful. It’s a sad, modern-day attempt to make even the worst people in the world redeemable. I don’t care if Winifred has a heart, and I don’t care if she realizes that all of the things she’s done throughout the course of her life have been mistakes–I just want the story to remain true to what the original film created. Hocus Pocus 2 tries to win the hearts of viewers in a strange way, and it fails miserably. Stop changing the premise of films to appeal to different groups of people; these things have worked for nearly thirty years now, leave it alone!
The special effects have fallen victim to trying too hard. In 1993 the world didn’t have very high expectations for what Hocus Pocus could provide in terms of CGI and the like–but what was done back then was more than effective. Now, in 2022, the viewers have incredibly high expectations–but they also know that a level of cheesiness exists within the original film. That would have been welcomed once again–but much like the rest of the film, Hocus Pocus 2 finds itself struggling to compete with its predecessor. The special effects, including the CGI of the least important character in film history, fails to entertain, it fails to express anything close to reality, and it fails even to be as good as what viewers saw back in 1993. Never should a modern film (especially one with a major budget) fail in regard to the special effects–and never compared to a predecessor that was made nearly thirty years ago. I simply sat there, smiled, and shook my head numerous times throughout the course of Hocus Pocus 2–primarily because of this crew’s failed attempt at special effects.
Comedy can go a long way when trying to reach a wide-range of viewers. The series of writers and Director Anne Fletcher are tasked with trying to reach original fans, new adult audiences, and new younger audiences–and, believe it or not (sense the sarcasm) they failed to do so. One of the appeals of Hocus Pocus was that it wasn’t afraid to touch on some adult content, make crude jokes, and let adults know that they could see them–and that, to some degree, the film was catering to them. Hocus Pocus 2 seems afraid to do this–and almost all forms of adult humor escape this film, giving the world just one more reason to dislike it.
With all of the negatives, and there are many, Hocus Pocus 2 has one redeeming quality–the use of light. It seems like such a small piece of the puzzle in the grand scheme of things, but Dave Cambria and his team does a wonderful job of creating something that evokes emotion and helps to move the story forward. He does a wonderful job of using light to express emotion and insight fear–and the most impressive use of light is in the background in the woods. It’s nearly always present in those scenes, and it makes the intention of Fletcher and the writers clear in these moments. Cambria is the shining star (no pun intended) of Hocus Pocus 2. While he doesn’t have much to compete with throughout the course of the film, it’s clear that he possesses genuine talent, and it’s equally clear why he’s been chosen time and time again to lead the lighting department in films.
Hocus Pocus 2, while I never had incredibly high expectations, is the most disappointing film of the year. It never really rekindles the magic of its ancestor–even if there are bits of magic sprinkled throughout. Disney’s most highly-anticipated film in years fails in nearly every way. There’s no reason for anyone to watch this film–not even fans of the original, because all it does is ruin that memory. Don’t bother setting aside nearly two hours of your time just to be disappointed–find something, anything else to do with your time, because Hocus Pocus 2 is simply a waste of it.
Directed by Anne Fletcher.
Written by Jen D’Angelo, David Kirschner, Blake Harris, & Mick Garris.
Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froy Gutierrez, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Tony Hale, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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