Many of us look forward to the end of the year because those Winter holidays are a time to reunite and reconnect with dear old friends. But what if you don’t want to wait out those eight weeks or so for the month between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas? I mean, Halloween is the big Fall holiday, the perfect one to visit with a few movie buddies we haven’t seen for (gasp) thirty years. That’s what the fine folks at Disney+ are thinking. So, make sure you’ve got an extra large punch bowl, light the jack o’ lanterns, and save the big sofa for those Sanderson sisters as they conjure up lots of new supernatural antics in HOCUS POCUS 2. Oh, and pick up a trio of new brooms, too.
In a big switcheroo from the first outing, this story begins in 1653, not 1693, in ole’ Salem, Mass. A big group of hostile citizens, led by the town leader Reverend Traske (Tony Hale) arrive at the Sanderson house to confront the pre-teen trio of sisters. Traske is planning an arranged marriage for young Winifriid, though she only has eyes for that handsome, hunky Billy Butcherson. Escaping the mob, she and her sisters Mary and Sarah, dash into a place where nobody will follow: the Forbidden Woods. While they rest in a clearing, a huge bird swoops down and transforms into the Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham). She gives Winnie the Book of Spells (ya know, with that creepy eyeball) and warns them not to enact the incantation of “Magicae Maxima”. Then, poof, we’re in modern-day Salem as the high school prepares for the town’s Halloween celebration. BFFs Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) have their usual plans despite the loss of their other, now ex-BFF, Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), who is attached at the hip to her jock beau Mike (Froy Gutierrez), and is planning a big party at her place, since her dad, Mayor Traske (Hale, natch’) will be at the town square festivities. Becca and Izzy go ahead to the old village recreation attraction and pick up some spooky stuff from Gilbert ( Sam Richardson) who runs a magic shop in the former Sanderson shack. In the dark woods, the duo lights a candle, which (uh oh) produces a black flame that brings back Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah ( Sarah Jessica Parker). Ah, but this time they’ve got bigger plans than merely draining the town kids of their youth. No, Winnie wants to unleash the Magicae Maxima, so they can rule forever. They’ve just got to gather all the needed ingredients like the blood of their enemy (Traske), and the head of a lover (Billy, perhaps). Can Becca and Izzy thwart their scheme and send the trio back to the netherworld?
Speaking of the terribly terrific trio, how can they so effortlessly sashay into their roles as if the last film wrapped 29 days ago rather than 29 years? The grand dame is of course Midler, as she curls a sinister smile around those bunny-like phony fake “choppers”. Her Winifred is regal, menacing, and can belt out a tune that leaves everyone spellbound (oh, you bet we get a song). Just as funny is Najimy as Mary with her “nobody’s home” vacant stare and lop-sided grimace as she “sniffs out the young ones”. And rounding out (oh, those slinky curves) is Parker who still projects a kittenish wink while indulging her “appetites” as she croons the “enchantment” tune to lure the throngs. But there’s a new trio of young women who share an interest in the dark arts. It’s the old “are you a good witch or a bad witch?” conflict led by the compelling Peak as the determined foe of Winifred. Her main aide is the fluttery Escobedo who gives Izzy a frazzled, but endearing warmth. The “third wheel” Cassie doesn’t have quite as much screentime, as she’s off partying with her guy and the “cool kids”, though Buckingham jumps right back into the battle with energy and a renewed appreciation for her “kiddie pals” in the final act. Jones as Billy has a silent movie clown physicality while expertly tossing off great retorts (“Hey, I’m a good zombie!”). Hale is equally doltish in his dual roles, but with some major twists. The Reverend is pompous and devious, while the Mayor’s a jovial “glad-hander”, who only drops his “man of the people” persona when his candy apple mania is denied. Also bringing the laughs is Richardson, who tries to be a friendly magic mentor to Becca and Izzy, but hides his sinister agenda. A bonus treat, though her role is brief, is the dazzling Waddingham, majestic and gorgeous as the “supplier to the Sandersons”.
Taking the reigns (or would broom be more apropos) is director/choreographer Anne Fletcher who embraces the spirit of campy chaos from the initial flick. She deftly handles the slapstick visuals (the trio updates their transports), the musical set pieces (a still fun bit of late 70s pop this time), and the teen clashes on the “social ladder”. The script from Jen D’Angelo, Blake Harris, and original co-creator David Kirschner even have some fun with the “legacy” of the 1993 flick as the sisters have become “drag icons” of the Fall holiday. The only glaring fault of this entry is a bit of “retcon”, an irritation in many sequels. The best example of this is how being called a chicken became a “trigger word” for Marty McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (no mention in the original). Here, the main goal of the trio is the “Magicae Maxima”, which is “news to us”. Plus it often feels as though this may be a “try-out” for a possible “spin-off” to continue the franchise with the three younger women, perhaps as more of a “nice teen riff on THE CRAFT or a junior “Charmed”. Of course, the massive fan base that can quote the now cult classic will devour this like a heavy bag of trick-or-treat candies (and no rocks inside, Charlie Brown). Plus the newest audiences (the kiddies) will really love the pre-teen sisters in the flashback opening. No doubt that Jack Skellington, Casper, and the first Sanderson sister romp will be joined as a Halloween staple with HOCUS POCUS 2. No boos from me.
Three Out of Four
HOCUS POCUS 2 streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on September 30, 2022
