Disney is at it again. Like many of the studio's prized IPs, Hocus Pocus has been resurrected. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker return as the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus 2, the witchy trio once summoned by a foolish virgin back in 1993. The sequel brings back the witches in an adventure that promises to ramp up the fun, magic, and music. Unfortunately, Hocus Pocus 2, which does have its fun moments, can't compare to the original film and lacks proper character development.
Nearly three decades after the first film's events, the Sanderson sisters — Winifred (Midler), Mary (Najimy), and Sarah (Parker) — are back to exact revenge on Salem and the people who have wronged them. In 2022, 16-year-old Becca (Whitney Peak), an aspiring witch, and her best friend Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) are drawn to the creepy woods outside Salem. Every year on Becca’s birthday, she, Izzy, and their former friend Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) would perform a magical ritual in what they failed to notice is a sacred place for witches in the forbidden woods. Little does Becca know that on her 16th birthday, her seemingly harmless birthday tradition will bring the Sanderson sisters back to wreak havoc once more.
Hocus Pocus 2 deliberately has fun with the idea of bringing back the Sandersons, and they are the sole reason to enjoy this film. They are the source of all the fun, humor, and delightful musical numbers. The film positions the sisters as not just a source of danger for Becca and her friends, but as folk heroes. Just as the tides have turned on what the Salem Witch Trials were about, so have people's opinions on the Sanderson sisters. Witches have merely been misunderstood women cast aside by society for being different, a sentiment presented in the opening of the film and shared by Gilbert (Sam Richardson), the town's foremost authority on all things Sanderson sisters. Hocus Pocus 2 reveres them as much as audiences does the trio of actresses who play them. However, the promise of reanalyzing the sisters and understanding their humanity gets painted over by a by-the-numbers family-friendly adventure that echoes much of the original film, with little thought on developing the characters in a meaningful way.
Anne Fletcher’s directing efforts are a noticeable improvement from the first film, which was directed by Kenny Ortega. However, Disney’s undeniable and persistent aesthetic is impossible to overcome. The film looks like it belongs on the flagship streaming service, a notch above the TV movie quality of the first film. The soundstage-like production, the strings on the witchy trio, and the green screen are hardly a distraction, but it is disappointing not to have this sequel level up a bit more. Nevertheless, the film has that tinge of delightful whimsy that makes every Disney production a hit with fans.
The film does struggle when it comes to the script. While the novelty of the Sanderson sisters roaming the 21st century earns a couple of chuckles, the script can’t quite meet the charm and charisma naturally imbued in the lead actresses, namely Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy. Sarah Jessica Parker plays up her inappropriate sex appeal playfully, but she has little offered to her, with the script seemingly catered to Midler and Najimy. On top of that, the new ensemble barely holds on, with paper-thin characters that are hollow imitations of the typical Disney Channel character. Sam Richardson and Doug Jones are severely underutilized despite having the most exciting dynamic, with the latter's return as Billy Butcherson feeling more like a gimmick. The characters are what drive the story, but the film fails to bring the best out of them in any noteworthy way. Hocus Pocus 2 opens with the promise of redemption or reconsideration of the Sanderson sisters, in the same way Cruella and Maleficent did for their famous villains. There is a missed opportunity to say something about the Salem Witch Trials, specifically how the Sanderson sisters came to be who they are. The revenge plot doesn’t reveal anything about them, the man they seek revenge on, or the culture he represents.
While Becca plays a critical part in the story, she is a hollow character, and Whitney Peak sadly brings no charisma to the screen. Becca's character development is lacking and the tension between her and Izzy's former best friend Cassie is seriously underbaked by extension. The pieces are there to tell a compelling, funny, and nostalgic story, but the film doesn't bring them together, failing to leave a lasting impression. The sentimental ending lands with a thud without the proper set-up to make it feel as satisfying or grand as it is meant to. There is a sense of hesitancy, as though the film being clever or meaningful will strip the fun out of the whole adventure. Hocus Pocus 2 thrives on bringing back the classic witch trio, but can’t give them material worthy of their fan-favorite status. The movie gets stuck in a cycle of reminding audiences why they love the Sanderson sisters, but doesn’t evolve or elevate them. The story is simply a rehash of the first film, and even the jokes begin to fall flat well before the halfway point. Hocus Pocus 2 is enjoyable, but it doesn't quite live up to the lightning-in-a-bottle moment that was the 1993 film.
Hocus Pocus 2 begins streaming on Disney+ Friday, September 30. The film is 96 minutes long and is rated PG for action, macabre/suggestive humor and some language.