Hocus Pocus 2

The Sanderson sisters are finally back 29 years later in the must-anticipated Disney sequel, arriving just in time for Halloween. But is it a worthy follow-up to watch?

With legacy sequels all the rage nowadays to cash in on nostalgia, Disney made a couple in the past with successful enough results in “Tron: Legacy” and “Mary Poppins Returns.”

But never in my mind did I ever think we would get “Hocus Pocus 2," which is now streaming on Disney+.

Any Halloween season isn’t complete with an annual watching of the 1993 original starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, directed by Kenny Ortega. While it didn’t get great reviews during its release and flopped at the box office (why did it come out in the middle of July?), it’s since become a popular cult classic nearly 30 years later, thanks to repeating airings during this time.

Do I consider myself a fan? The original was never a movie I made sure to catch on TV every October. Still, the nostalgia proved popular with fans that it’ll be exciting for them to, hopefully, have fun with the long-awaited return of the wicked Sanderson sisters.

In 1653 Salem, Winifred Sanderson (Taylor Henderson, later Midler) is banished on her 16th birthday by Reverend Traske (Tony Hale) when she refuses to marry. As a result, her sisters, Mary (Nina Kitchen, later Najimy) and Sarah (Juju Journey Brener, later Parker), must be taken away and provoke Winifred to escape with them to the nearest forest. It was that place where a mysterious witch (Hannah Waddingham) gifted the sisters with a book of spells that gave them their powers.

Fast forward to 2022, best friends Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) are looking forward to spending Halloween together again despite not having their other friend Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) be a part of it. Alone performing an annual ritual in the woods, Becca lights the black flame candle under a fall moon, accidentally resurrecting the Sanderson sisters to the modern day to seek revenge on Salem on All Hallow’s Eve once more by releasing a spell called the “Magicae Maxima.”

Was I someone who was clamoring for another "Hocus Pocus?" Not really. This has been rumored for a long time and was bound to happen eventually. As it turned out, director Anne Fletcher (“The Proposal”) made a movie that wasn’t trying to be the crowning champion of the best sequel this year. But, while it’s mostly more of the same, it’s watchable enough for younger children to capture a glimmer of magic that once was.

Easily, the film’s biggest strength watching "Hocus Pocus 2" is seeing Midler, Parker, and Najimy together again to have a whimsical experience with their performances as the villainous Sanderson sisters. Whether casting spells, singing or running amok the only way they can, they've returned with the same chemistry and charm that never seemed phoned in from their first appearance through every scene.

Even when I first watched the first as a kid, I wasn't entirely familiar with them, and it was probably my first exposure to them. For them to reprise their roles sounded easy to come back to, and the three eased their way back into these iconic characters like there’s no tomorrow. The best part is I never see the actresses and think Winifred, Sarah, and Mary are real witches getting into hijinks in Salem once more. Midler’s Winifred brings her all in, adding more development to her character, especially towards the climax. They looked like they had a blast filming and I believe they did.

The new characters were fine enough to keep our attention when the trio wasn’t on screen. Peak and Escobedo are likable, but there's little dynamic development between them (along with Cassie). I wished we had similar characters in the same vein as Max, Dani, or Allison to make me care for them more. Personally, I needed this to have more character development in Becca and focus on what she’s going through.

Sam Richardson as the owner of the magic shop Gilbert, who becomes involved in the witches' plot, and Doug Jones' return as the undead Billy Butcherson, who I appreciate got more screen time than in the first, were among the supporting cast members who made the most of their appearances. I also can never complain about having too much Doug Jones because he’s awesome. There’s this side plot with Billy and Gilbert I found quite delightful.

Watching this about a week after catching the first on TV to refresh my memory, Fletcher and screenwriter Jen D'Angelo captured the spirit of what fans loved before, with a few tweaks and callbacks to keep things fresh in tone decades later. I wasn't expecting a backstory of them that shows that these sisters actually care for each other, which serves the movie's overall message of sisterhood.

Unfortunately, we also get the typical fish-out-of-water scenarios of the sisters in the present once more that’s hit-or-miss sometimes (the Walgreens segment drags). But we have another musical number where they're performing “One Way or Another” instead of "I Put a Spell On You" that I liked more, believe it or not.

It also doesn’t have the most memorable story to come by when it’s very predictable, sometimes feeling reminiscent of moments hearkening back to the original. But does this have a purpose for existing? Not at first when I heard this was finally happening. However, despite probably getting about it in a few days, it’s a surprisingly decent watch.

In the end, “Hocus Pocus 2” isn't anything special to be destined as the next Halloween classic. But as someone who doesn't carry much nostalgia for the original, it's still a fun enough sequel for fans. Midler, Parker, and Najimy shine on screen without missing a beat. Familiar as it may be, it’s entertaining enough to catch once during the spooky season.