David Farnor | On 31, Oct 2022

Director: Anne Fletcher
Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Hannah Waddingham
Certificate: PG

It’s been 29 years since Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy first enchanted viewers as the Sanderson sisters, a trio of witches looking to become immortal in Hocus Pocus. Over those almost-three decades, what was initially dismissed as Halloween frivolity has amassed a large fanbase, thanks to the movie’s combination of a family-friendly level of scares and a wonderfully camp cast. Hocus Pocus 2, a sequel that nobody really asked for, doesn’t lose sight of either ingredient and – thrown into a cauldron along with a spoonful of nostalgia – cooks up an entertaining follow-up.

The film introduces us to a new trio of Halloween lovers: Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), who have long had a friendship ceremony they carry out each October 31st. But with Cassie seemingly putting her geeky mates behind her to focus on dating a popular boy at school, Becca and Izzy find themselves trying to rekindle their former bond. When Gilbert (Sam Richardson), owner of the Salem magic shop, gives them a candle to lift their spirits, they end inadvertently bringing the Sandersons back once more – and so Winnie (Midler), Mary (Najimy) and Sarah (Parker) set about trying to boost their youthful qualities by stealing the souls of children.

It’s no spoiler to say that nobody’s souls actually get stolen – this is a decidedly low-stakes affair, with the most unnerving thing about the movie being the fact that Bette Midler has lost none of her vamping charisma. She’s wonderfully twitchy and just faintly desperate as the ageing elder sister, while Najimy remains committed to any physical gag going and Sarah Jessica Parker reminds us that she really has an underrated gift for comic timing.

It’s simply fun to watch them reunited, whether it’s them being confused by a local pharmacist or trying to compete with other trios all dressed up as them for Halloween. There are lots of elements that tie us back to the original film – from Tony Hale enjoying himself as Salem’s mayor, a descendant of the man who persecuted the women in ye olde days, to Doug Jones as the reanimated Billy Butcherson – but where Hocus Pocus 2 impresses is its ability to be smarter than merely rehashing old tricks. A subplot involving Chekhov’s Roomba is inspired, while there’s a knowing commentary on fame and nostalgia through the amusingly over-the-top hijinks of Sam Richardson, who recently kept stealing scenes in Apple TV+ comedy The Afterparty. (Speaking of which, watch out for a Hannah Waddingham appearance that will leave you wishing she had more screen time.)

But best of all is the film’s dedication to sisterhood over spell-casting. For all its Halloweening, this isn’t really a film about magic; it’s a tale of three mates who, like the Sanderson sisters, will do anything for each other, and Jen D’Angelo’s script draws a cute line from the trio of old to the new generation of loyal friends prepared to stick together. The result is a sweet and enjoyably silly outing that doesn’t just hold a candle to the original – it might even be better.

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