Even though this is unfortunately not getting a cinematic release, my excitement remained at an all-time high for this long-awaited sequel of this popular modern family classic. So apologise if my review sounds like I'm gushing all over this.
I have always said that the first 'Hocus Pocus' is the best Halloween film for kids. It's a lot of fun, exciting, has a good amount of energy, has the right amount of horror to not put the kids off it and just makes you smile.
The love for the 1993 original seems to have grown over time as people from my generation have expressed our enjoyment of it through social media and future generations continue to discover it. So the demand for a sequel was becoming more and more warranted.
As usual, I have avoided any kind of promotion so I can experience it in full. With the excitement comes the caution as sequels from 80's or 90's originals have a low success rate. But like with something like 'Top Gun: Maverick' I knew that in the right hands if they committed to the concept rather than try and make it contemporary to keep the interest of modern audiences, then this could be as fun as the original.
There is a promising start that will certainly engage the fans of the original and while the structure as a whole is very familiar, it still never felt like cash grab. There was enough to keep the story going while paying homage to its predecessor which is fine as that is the reason why this film finally exists.
The action isn't really as physical as before. But as a few of our stars are a bit seasoned now, some of the changes that they made to accommodate that never made the film drag for me. The 'fish out of water' concept was well utilised again with encounters with new technology managing to also be call backs to memorable moments from the original which impressed me.
The finale is certainly the film's high point as there is one moment that will get the fans emotional. It certainly caught me off guard. It left me very satisfied, and I think it will get a strong positive response with other loyal members of the fandom also.
Seeing the trio of Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker was just great. They have not lost their touch, charisma or chemistry and Midler in particular can still put on a great show. But she also gave her character some depth which surprised me and it worked really well. It never felt they were phoning it in. It felt like they wanted to give something back to the fans which was wholly satisfying. It was also great seeing Doug Jones return. Jones is someone that does not get enough credit from people outside of the industry. You probably don't realise how much work Jones has done and his signature physical acting was put to good use once again.
As for the new cast, they weren't as instantly likable, enigmatic or as well written as the ones from the original. But they did a perfectly functional job to help the story move along and were thankfully never annoying.
It was great seeing parts of the original locations used and bringing back John Debney for that memorable score to be put to use once again. Some parts did look a bit too polished, too much like a set and never felt as dirty or authentic as its predecessor. The pacing is solid but could have been a bit more rampant to give it some adrenaline. The slightly longer running time doesn't help.
Other minor negatives to speak of was that the stakes never felt that big or consequential. I'm not totally surprised at this as Disney don't try to make things too scary or risky these days. So there was a sense of the film-makers being afraid to be edge and it's most noticeable in the script.
But that being said, the fun factor and energy is still there and despite its flaws I had a blast watching this. There is enough of a story that you can appreciate that it's trying to be its own thing and give this film a purpose whilst paying homage. It's not game chaning and it doesn't have to be.
As a fan, it was great to see the gang bang together. While some of the nods, call backs and gags didn't all work, they largely were well executed. For non-fans, I feel this will remain a pleasurable watch. It does a good job celebrating its legacy and never tarnishing it. The emotional and highly satisfying finale proved that they were basically saying thank you to the fans for celebrating the original for so long.
I really hope I'm not the minority as I try to avoid seeing beloved projects through tinted eyes. But I think as a film it's perfectly fine with some nice moments that anyone can be invested in. But this will clearly satisfy the fans.
I must mention that there is a post credits scene. It's hard to not give a hint without spoiling it. So that's all say about it. It's there for you to discover yourself.
Rating: 7/10
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