Review of Hocus Pocus 2: that ancient evil magic is made fresh again
Hocus Pocus, directed by Kenny Ortega, was not a box office success when it was released in 1993, but history has been kind to it, and it has become a Halloween ritual for a certain generation of youngsters (and their children, in many cases). And, because everything old eventually becomes new again — especially if it enjoys the kind of post-release success that Hocus Pocus had — Disney has chosen to bring the sorcerous Sanderson sisters back for another adventure in Hocus Pocus 2.
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles as Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, the three witches who were unintentionally revived in the 1993 film and plagued the town of Salem until being vanquished by a gang of precocious adolescents and a magical black cat. This time, Step Up and 27 Dresses filmmaker Anne Fletcher is at the helm, and the story follows another set of Salem youngsters who unintentionally unleash the Sanderson sisters on the town 29 years after the events of the previous film.
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Fans of the original 1993 movie will enjoy Hocus Pocus 2, which manages to convey much of the same energy, wit, and seasonal fun.
Midler, Parker, and Najimy are over three decades removed from their appearances in the original film, but you wouldn't know it based on how they return to the roles in Hocus Pocus 2. In both films, the three has a natural synergy, from the way they move, sing, and dance together to their sisterly banter as they conspire, dispute, commiserate, and rejoice. The teens may be the story's protagonists, as they were in the first film, but the Sanderson sisters are the true stars in Hocus Pocus 2.
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Hocus Pocus 2 also does a good job of avoiding the difficulties that other sequels have when attempting to add a new chapter to a picture that was released decades ago. Rather than attempting to replicate the original film in the contemporary day or modifying the characters to make them more suitable for a modern tale, Hocus Pocus 2 focuses on the Sanderson sisters' return and how things have changed since their previous journey in the modern world.
Hocus Pocus 2 and its screenwriter, Jen D'Angelo, find some smart ways to make the passed time between the two films part of the tale, from the popularity of robot vacuums (as opposed to brooms) to the comforts we take for granted now but would seem like totally new magic to the Sandersons.
And, like the first film, which had some strong performances from its younger cast members, like Emmy and BAFTA nominee Thora Birch, among others, Hocus Pocus 2 stars several capable young performers as its adolescent protagonists.
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Whitney Peak, who played Becca on Gossip Girl, plays Becca, who accidently resurrects the Sanderson sisters in the film, and she plays her role in the family-friendly adventure with the sincerity that Disney films of this type deserve. Becca's best friends, Cassie and Izzy, are played by Lilia Buckingham and Belissa Escobedo, respectively, while Cassie's dim-witted boyfriend is played by Froy Gutierrez. When the Sanderson sisters are not on screen, all four actors are entertaining to watch and keep the tale moving – and humorous.
The film also introduces — and reintroduces — some familiar faces in entertaining roles, including legendary actor Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) reprising his role as the undead Billy Butcherson, and phenomenal Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham playing a key figure in the Sanderson sisters' early years. Along with Tony Hale (Arrested Development) as the mayor of Salem, all three performers contribute to an already entertaining picture.
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