There are times in which I’m totally cool with admitting I had some pretty basic tastes for my age and demographic. Was I obsessed with My Little Ponys (the first time around)? Yes. Disney Princesses? Before they even had an official line. Pokemon? Played the Blue version before I even knew it was going to be cool. There is one film in particular that has recently become synonymous for basic Halloween loving people of my generation. Almost to the level of pumpkin spice lattes and UGGs, Hocus Pocus has become a basic millennial kid Fall staple. I myself will proudly count myself as someone who could practically recite the movie in their sleep. (Repeatedly being syndicated all year long on the Disney Channel certainly made it easier.) Being such a beloved title, it was natural that in the 29 years since its release, there’s been a strong clamoring for a sequel. Well, my fellow witch loving, aging Millennials, Disney has finally decided to cash in on our nostalgia and release Hocus Pocus 2.
The film starts in 1653 Salem, where the church exiled a teenage Winifred Sanderson for refusing to marry. Knowing she could not live without her sisters, Sarah and Mary, she escaped with them to the forest where they run into Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham) who gives Winifred her book of spells and teaches them how to kill other children to stay young forever. In 2022, we meet up with two teenagers Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Becca (Whitney Peak) who visit their favorite magic shop for Becca’s birthday, a tradition they’ve had for years. The shop’s owner, Gilbert (Sam Richardson), gifts Becca a special candle for her 16th birthday. They realize that it is a Black Flame Candle when they accidentally resurrect the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy), 29 years after they were resurrected previously.
Directed by Anne Fletcher (Step Up, 27 Dresses, The Proposal) and written by Jen D’Angelo (her first film), this film has been rumored to be in production for the past 10-15 years. The first official hints of actual production was in 2016 when Doug Jones mentioned that Disney was considering it and in 2017 when original screenwriter Mick Garris admitted that Disney had asked him to write a new script. It wasn’t officially confirmed by Disney until October 2019 and wasn’t taken seriously until May 2021 when they announced the return of Bette Milder, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy.
Given the overwhelming nostalgia I feel about the first one, it is so much harder to give an impartial critique of this long awaited sequel. Do I love it because it makes me feel like a happy, pre-9/11 era kid again? Do I hate it because it’s obviously trying to cater to me by throwing in a lot of gratuitous fan service moments? I guess I have a blend of both feelings?
One of my favorite things about this movie is the expansion of the characters of the Sanderson sisters. We’re actually treated with a bit more backstory about how they got their powers, as well as elaboration on their relationship with each other. And even better, they remained (mostly) evil rather than Disney’s recent trend of making villains “misunderstood.” Midler, Parker, and Najimy, despite reprising their roles almost three decades later, we’re still wonderfully energetic and quirky. If anything, they seem almost more “witchy” than before.
Of course, I must also address the “new” kid characters of this film. They are simply put, very Gen Z. And I will argue that’s a good thing. We want this movie to be just as relatable to kids now as it was in the 90s. I really did find Becca and Lizzy to be pretty likeable, representing the less toxic mindset that Gen Z is known for, without veering in too “preachy” territory. I’m just a little surprised that none of the “kid” characters from the first film made an appearance, but I guess it really wasn’t necessary.
I’m still unsure if it adds or detracts, but a lot of elements from the first movie did come back. Quite a few recycled jokes and plot elements were used. And while some were welcome, others were a bit awkward. To be honest, I much more appreciated the new jokes this film had to offer. As far as the overall story goes, it’s just different enough to have kept me interested, without making me think I’m just watching the first one all over again.
Thinking back, was the first film even good in the first place? I’m sure my nostalgia filters are far too strong to make a good judgment about that. I’m still wildly entertained by it to this day. As far as Hocus Pocus 2 goes, while it doesn’t quite add up to the charm of the original, it was still pretty decent. Though it may not have been entirely necessary to even make this, Hocus Pocus 2 was still a welcome Halloween treat.
