To kick off the Halloween season, Hocus Pocus 2, directed by Anne Fletcher premiered Friday, September 30, 2022 only on Disney+. This movie is a sequel to the first film Hocus Pocus, which was released July 16, 1993. 

In the first movie, we meet the infamous Sanderson sisters: Mary, Sarah and Winnefred played by Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler. The three witches are caught and executed in 1693, but before taking their last breath, Winnefred enacts a curse that will allow them to return to Earth. Once a virgin lights the Black Flame candle on Halloween night, the witches will be back in Salem ready to wreak havoc upon the town. 300 years later, the prophecy is fulfilled. However, thanks to Max, played by Omri Katz, Allison played by Vinessa Shaw, Dani played by Thora Birch and Binx played by Sean Murray, the witches are stopped and fade into the abyss. The movie ends with a piece of the Black Flame Candle still whole and leaves the audience with the question of if the sisters will ever return. 

In Hocus Pocus 2, our question is answered. The movie begins with the origin of the Sanderson sisters; we see why they are evil and understand why they crave revenge. I liked this because it allowed the audience to fully grasp the idea of ‘Who are the Sanderson sisters?’. We meet their mother, played by Hannah Waddingham, and are introduced to a spell called “Maxima Magica” that allows a witch to gain full power.  In this movie, if you’re expecting to see Max (Omri Katz), Dani (Thora Birch), Allison (Vinessa Shaw) and Binx (Sean Murray) you will be disappointed. Instead we are introduced to  new characters, such as Becca (Whitney Peak), the main character along with her best friends Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo). The movie focuses on how the three friends get tangled up in the Sanderson sisters’ witchery. 

As a present, Becca is gifted the Black Flame candle by someone she thought could be trusted. As part of an annual birthday ritual, Becca, along with her best friend, Izzy go into the woods, where they recite an incantation that ignites the candle. They were unaware of the mischief it would bring. The Sanderson sisters were brought back and were ready to seek eternal life. The movie ends with a slight cliff hanger, as we see the Crow of the Mother Witch fly above Becca and her friends. This implies that she’s still alive and thriving. 

The filmmakers did an outstanding job of allowing us to see how old time witches would act, and react to modern day inventions. The film was comical and the plot was consistent. While the movie was new, the touch of the Sanderson sisters remained the same. If I could rate this movie, I’d give it four out of five stars. The movie was a great spin-off from the first one. I was happy to see a few of the original cast members, such as Billy Butcherson played by Doug Jones in the movie. Although it is a Disney project, there were not many song breaks within the movie, which was good. This film captured the importance of friendship and sisterhood, and sent a message that loyalty is more important than power. This is a great message to send to the younger generation and the directors conveyed it in a creative, playful way. The special effects were also a beautiful part of the movie and gave the visuals a little more pizzazz. In the words of Gen Z, the movie “gave what it was supposed to give”. 

When watching this movie, the audience should understand the time and age of the movie making industry that we’re in. Do not expect much of how the original movie was from this one. The whole point was to base this movie in a modern day setting, dealing with modern day problems. I highly recommend giving this movie a watch. The bewitching nature of the film takes a hold on you and you’d want to watch it again. Grab your popcorn, witch hats and Pepsi, and stream Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+ now!