Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) - REVIEW
SYNOPSIS
Three young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.
I was never a huge fan of the first Hocus Pocus film despite the unquestionable popularity and cult following that the film has attainted over years. So I went into Hocus Pocus 2 not expecting to get much from it and therefore I am especially surprised to say that, generally speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now there's nothing really new in here that we haven't seen before and there are obvious throwbacks to the first movie, but what it does have is an infectious sense of fun.
The movie easily belongs to Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy who are clearly having such a great time and just slip back into these roles effortlessly. I did find it slightly strange that with all the throwbacks and references to the first film that there was no reference to Omri Katz, Thora Birch or Vinessa Shaw's characters for a sense of continuity. However Hocus Pocus 2 moves along at a brisk pace and isn't really doing anything groundbreaking. It's very much a retread and follows a similar formula to the first film which ultimately makes it a film for fans that won't win critics over to the cause.
If anything feels slightly different then that would be the young heroes; Becca, Izzy and Cassie (Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo and Lilia Buckingham) whose character dynamics are different than that of the heroes from the first. Their story does parallel the Sanderson's backstory somewhat even if their conflict feels too easily/conveniently resolved for my liking. All three are likeable but the charisma and over the top performances of Midler, Parker and Najimy steals the film out from under them. Hocus Pocus 2 is just as silly as the first but it moves at such a brisk pace that you won't really stop to think at how delightfully over the top it is.
VERDICT
Silly and ridiculous but far more entertaining than anything I was expecting it to be. The Sanderson Sisters return is a delightfully infectious affair even if the film too closely follows the formula of the first and doesn't offer anything new.
3/5
