Hocus Pocus 2

Release Date: September 30, 2022

Watch Date: October 24 – October 25, 2023

“The live-action comedy ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ is a haunting sequel to the 1993 Halloween cult classic which brings back the delightfully wicked Sanderson sisters for more comedic mayhem. It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.”

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    Did you know that the Sanderson Sisters invented Jell-O?

    I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is a good movie, but the fact that a couple of children from Salem, Massachusetts were the originators of that delicious dessert, that’s a pretty huge take-away. So if anyone ever tries to tell you otherwise, like that Pearle Bixby Wait is the originator and trademarker of the brand of Jell-O. Well that’s true. But the Sanderson Sisters invented it.

    This is a better movie, I think, than the original. I think the plot line is better. I like that the Sisters have become a little bit more sympathetic, though they still keep up their wicked ways. The fact that there’s no terribly done CGI cat that has a British accent only some of the time is something I am very for. I think the little side characters pull their weight this time, and the teenagers do a much better job, plus there’s no small girl just screaming constantly.

    Starting off by giving a little more backstory into how the Sanderson Sisters became the witches they were always meant to be was a very smart move. While they were always, clearly, outcasts in their home, it only strengthens the audiences’ fondness for them by knowing that every decision they made, they made out of love, even if it was sort of an evil decision. If anything, I’d like to see more of that time period, their training, how they became the witches we would meet in the original. For once, I kind of want a prequel.

    But that’s not because the story of either of these two movies is very strong, or that the premise is that awesome. It’s based purely on the chemistry between the three sisters. These actresses clearly had a blast, and they clearly love working together, and these characters, and it shows. They steal the show, which is good because they’re meant to, and I’m glad that the writers realized from the first film that you don’t need an epic plot. Give the Sanderson Sisters a little bit of a quest and let them run amok. That’s all you need to do, and all that those characters want to do.

    The idea that new witches can still exist, that witchery is still alive and well in Salem, even if the inhabitants aren’t totally aware of it, or the witches themselves, I think is a good thing. The idea that Book doesn’t need to be used for evil, or at least I hope this newest group of teenage girls won’t turn evil, is also an interesting twist that I’d be curious to see play out, but not curious enough to watch a Hocus Pocus 3 without the Sanderson Sisters.

    The inclusion of the Mayor and the Reverend being of the same bloodline felt a little bit unnecessary. It didn’t really add too much to the plot, and was completely forgotten about by the final third. We also didn’t really need an entire B-plot about how badly the Mayor wants a candy apple. That was…I mean I think it was meant to show how sweet the guy was, compared to his ancestor, how simple he was and how into Halloween he was, but it just…wasn’t needed. The song wasn’t as strong as the original, though it was performed well, and I enjoyed the credits sequence of them performing the song again in character.

    Let’s be honest, there’s definitely some weak points in this film, but there’s a lot less than the original, and the Sanderson Sisters are wholly worth the watch any time of year. If you’re looking for light, easy, Halloween fare, or if you just want to have a goofy laugh, this is a good movie to do it with. Even our son, who scares incredibly easy, ran around singing ‘amok’ for a little bit – which to be fair, it is a funny sounding word the first time you here it. There’s joy in the delinquency of the Sanderson Sisters, a freedom to be themselves that most people wish they could have, I mean other than the desire to consume children to remain young and kill your enemies so you can gain ultimate power. At least I hope so. And that joy will keep you coming back for more. If Hocus Pocus was a cult classic, I can’t see how Hocus Pocus 2 will become anything less.