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Hocus Pocus 2

Hocus Pocus 2 is a bit of a disappointment. While it’s great seeing Bette Midler, Sara Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy back as the Sanderson Sisters, the witch trio from 1600s Salem who have returned a second time to terrify modern day kids, I just wish the sequel was at least half as good as the original 1993 film. The first HP did a superb job of also firmly establishing its three young leads, played by Omri Katz, Thora Birch, and Vinessa Shaw, that you were still rooting for the kids--despite the wildly charismatic and funny performances by the veteran actresses playing the Sanderson Sisters.

In sharp contrast, the sequel barely spends any time fleshing out its three young leads (played by Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham); they each lack a specific character "moment" that everyone had in the original film. The sequel seems more preoccupied with blatant product placement instead of creating full-blooded characters. And the three young actresses do what they can with the flimsy material they’re given, but the script is so weak that it barely even spends careful consideration on its own scenarios.

Take, for instance, the true villain of the piece (not the Sandersons, who are treated here as more of a dark force of nature), a modern day character named Gilbert (Sam Richardson) who manipulates two of the girls into calling forth the Sanderson Sisters into modern day Salem once more. Gilbert coerced the girls into this scheme, knowing full well that he would be putting their lives at risk. But when all is said and done at the end, Gilbert literally walks away scot-free with a promise of giving the girls--who survived the ordeal that he put them in--a discount at his store.

And the girls gladly accept this with an “aw shucks, that wacky guy!” attitude towards Gilbert, who was more than willing to revive a great evil on the world, while literally sacrificing them in the process. This just felt wrong, and winds up being a hell of a lesson for a film that’s supposed to be aimed at children. The saving grace for me was seeing the Sanderson Sisters back in action once again, along with the always great Doug Jones as Billy. They are such a delight that their antics made me laugh out loud a few times. It would have been really nice if the movie overall was just as superb as all of its actors were. Maybe Hocus Pocus 3, which this film sets up in a post credit scene, might finally revive that old Sanderson magic.--SF

Hocus Pocus 2 is available on Disney Plus only, at least for now.

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