So imagine my delight when I heard the sequel announcement in 2020. An almost two-year wait? No problem! The witches were on their way and the excitement began to build for spooky millennials everywhere.
Fastforward to now. Hocus Pocus 2 dropped on Disney+ yesterday with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprising their roles as Winnie, Sarah and Mary respectively. Doug Jones also makes a comeback as beloved Billy.
Unfortunately the excitement quickly waned. The execution just wasn't there and Hocus Pocus 2 has fallen tragically short for me. It has absolutely failed to harness the magic of 1993. The plot isn't as strong, the wit not as sharp and it feels like a lazy attempt at a cash-in, which is a shame (though perhaps not a surprise because, well, Disney), for such an adored original.
The plot (no spoilers) left the film feeling disjointed to me with needless scenes that held no advancement and were there because…why?
The main characters weren't rounded out well enough to be likeable and our much-loved sisters were played in a way that was almost beyond the point of caricature. Add in an underdeveloped backup cast coupled with an erratic storyline and the film did nothing more than bubble and brew along in a cauldron of disappointment.
There was a big song-and-dance number, the iconic flying vacuum cleaner made an appearance and the Black Flame Candle was once again integral, so there were plenty of nostalgic nods, but this outing felt only a few beats away from full-blown parody at any given moment. To say something positive there were some moments that elicited a chuckle or two! Unfortunately the overall feeling was one of disappointment due to the film being a mere essence of the original rather than a fully indulgent opportunity to celebrate with an excellent sequel.
As with the first Hocus Pocus there was a cold open, a scene setter at the beginning of the film. If a prequel along those lines was ever discussed I'd be much more into the idea of it based only on those few starting minutes. The youngsters playing the roles of 1653 Winnie (Taylor Henderson), Sarah (Juju Journey Brener) and Mary (Nina Kitchen) were excellent and somehow managed to embody the sisters better than the original actresses achieved in this outing. Their mannerisms, timing and expressions were all nailed impeccably; incredible traits for such a young trio. Along with Book they delivered the best performances in the film.
With Hocus Pocus 2 I was ready for a raft of nostalgic witchery, but for me it was a swing and a miss. Sure there's always the potential for that with films that we hold dear but this was not the revisit I was hoping for. I'm not upset or annoyed or angry, but I am disappointed in the sequel's delivery.
I'll be making no swift moves to add this to my rewatch list but I will continue to revisit 90s Salem as I have done for so many years.
K x
No comments
Post a Comment