It would seem there is no film that Bette Midler cannot save. Thanks to her, Hocus Pocus 2 is even watchable. Well, almost.

Synopsis

Twenty-nine years ago, the resurrected sisters Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), who could steal youth from children using black magic, were banished from our world. Now it is time to eliminate the threat of the witches returning to our world once and for all – as new heroes must face them head-on.

How did the Sanderson sisters acquire their magical powers, what can three friends from the 21st century oppose them with, and what price are Winnie, Mary, and Sarah willing to pay for indescribable power – all of this will be revealed in the continuation of the old classic.

Hocus Pocus 2 Is Not a Very Good Film

I am not even talking about the fact that sequels, prequels, remakes, and reboots have started to get quite tiresome. Especially those made after many years. But we have had examples of new films becoming quite decent standalone movies (the same ), so hope did not fade until the very end.

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Open material

But the plot… Why does everything again boil down to the sheer incompetence of most modern screenwriters in Hollywood? Why is the market oversaturated with films that seem like a collection of unrelated sketches? Where are the interesting and at least somewhat original ideas?

And this is still without mentioning the new main heroines. They are just nothing, though I have nothing against Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, or Lilia Buckingham personally, who play their roles very carelessly. This can be somewhat excused by the fact that they simply have nothing to work with. Perhaps, among the young actors, only Taylor Henderson, who very convincingly portrayed a 16-year-old Winnie, and Froy Gutierrez, who at least understood that in a film called Hocus Pocus 2, you can and should overact, stand out.

Oh, and where would we be without the trend of 'whitewashing' beloved characters? Because we absolutely must give a sad backstory to the three sisters who originally killed children and worshipped Satan. And make them as cute and cuddly as possible, while simultaneously stripping the film of that edge-of-propriety quality that made it so popular.

In short, it is boring, clichéd, and Mary Sue-ish. Nothing new.

What Saves Hocus Pocus 2

But it cannot be said that the viewer will get no enjoyment from watching. Because the film is literally pulled out of the swamp by the very Sanderson sisters.

Midler, Najimy, and Parker clearly derive endless pleasure from portraying their grotesque heroines – just as they did back in 1993, making Hocus Pocus a cultural phenomenon. They are joined by the always interesting Doug Jones, although his character was resurrected solely for fan service, carrying no narrative weight.

Plus, I must note that a few jokes elicited chuckles, and the musical number, which is the local equivalent of the brilliant 'I Put a Spell on You' from the original film, turned out to be quite witty and appropriate. But it very clearly highlighted the main problem with bringing back beloved characters.

Unfortunately, the energy the actresses had 30 years ago seems to have been divided by five. Of course, comparing a 48-year-old Midler with a 76-year-old Midler is a bit unfair. But the creators themselves invite the comparison. The expressiveness, playfulness, and liveliness of the Sanderson sisters are what made their characters legendary, so the director's attempts to mask everything with dynamic camerawork are at least understandable.

Conclusion

A small lyrical digression – the author of this article cannot be called completely impartial. Because for many years now, when asked who I consider my favorite actress, I consistently answer: 'Bette Midler.' And I am very pleased to see that she is still going strong.

On the other hand, if even I find her charisma and stage skills insufficient to enjoy the film, then I don't even know.

In short, I have no idea who to recommend the new Hocus Pocus 2 to. Those who haven't seen or don't like the original won't like the sequel. Those who were fans of the first film will be greatly disappointed by the second. Perhaps only if you are very indifferent to Hocus Pocus and have just seen it a couple of times on TV, the sequel might evoke some sense of nostalgia. But in that case, I would rather advise rewatching the old film.

Happy upcoming Halloween.