Abracadabra 2

I was really excited to see this and shouldn't be shocked it's not good but alas, here we are. It's so hard to get through.

Two unlikeable teen narcs bring back the witches who immediately burst into... song and dance?! Whoever made this remake failed to realize they only sang in the first film because they are mistaken for a musical act and use the stage/ band accompaniment to cast a spell on the town. "Dance until you die!" It's dark!

In this, they are singing and dancing happy music in the middle of the woods. We hear a full band but they are alone. For no reason. This is not in their character. Make it make sense.

The product placement is palpable. Sponsored by Walgreens. We're supposed to believe they don't know what teenagers look like? They already came back in the 90s and knew Max was a teenager.

Also- Billy was my favorite character in the original and in this, they give him a weird Irish accent? When no one else has one? What's happening. Why ruin a classic?

Why? Why? Why?

I wanted to like this, I tried desperately to find an ounce of the old magic. Alas, it was.gone.

A contrived, unimaginative senseless film that should've been more.

It wasn't bad, but I hoped for so much better. It felt dull and lacklustre. The music scenes seemed shoehorned in for the sake of it.

Oddly enough, there was some good bits and incidental comedy, hence the 4 stars. Sadly there wasn't enough.

In my opinion, the casting was ok. The script could've so much better though.

It reminded me of the ghost busters film reboot, it added nothing and took so much more away.

On the whole, it was ok.

Hocus Pocus 2 uses a plethora of nostalgic references to the 1993 film. It follows basic legacyquel rules - bringing back characters and repeating old narrative concerns for a new audience. However, it's almost exactly the same premise, just set in contemporary times and touches on contemporary discussions around female empowerment.

Some of the jokes are funny, and Bette Midler brings star power, but I can't help but think this sequel tarnishes the original. Hocus Pocus 2 didn't have the fun and thrills of the first film. It is very Disneyfied. More child friendly, and has no real antagonist.

As a fan of the first film who watched it as a child, I hoped this sequel would have a continuation of story, and would trigger nostalgia in a positive way. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment.

Not bad but super lackluster compared to the original!

It lacked sincerity and feeling. In fact, I didn't feel much of anything throughout except frustration. Whereas the first one made me laugh and cry the whole way through, this one was really ho-hum, except for the very end- and I only laughed once!

Like I said, there is a feeling of insincerity to this one. It's basically a parody of itself, whereas the original feels like a genuine classic. And a lot of the stuff in this felt forced and just annoying.

Also, no Max, Dani, or Allison in this one, and I was really looking forward to their return!

Glad I watched, but overall, a letdown and super lame.

UPDATE: Okay, it's only lame in comparison to the original, but not lame overall. I just can't stay mad at a Hocus Pocus movie- anything with these 3 sisters is cool with me, and I hope there are more sequels!

I don't understand how fans of the first film would want to trash this.

The story offers a mix of prequel information, first film nostalgia and a decent revival of our characters. It isn't without flaws but after nearly thirty years, I found the plot interesting and fun to watch. The characters are older but still gave nice performances and the new characters weren't awful.

Most sequels fail to live up to the original film and you know this before sitting down but that doesn't mean they aren't fun to watch. I personally liked seeing the characters brought back and can honestly say that I enjoyed the experience. In my opinion, had the 1993 original not been made, simply cutting the references to it would've made this a fine stand alone film.

To each their own.