Hocus Pocus was not an immediate hit, but decades of repeat viewings have made it a beloved classic.  Disney knows that there is plenty more cash to milk from that nostalgia, which means we get a sequel!

Title: Hocus Pocus 2(2022)

Cast and Crew

Directed by Anne Fletcher
Screenplay by Jen D’Angelo

Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson
Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson
Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson
Whitney Peak as Becca
Belissa Escobedo as Izzy
Lilia Buckingham as Cassie
Froy Gutierrez as Mike
Sam Richardson as Gilbert
Doug Jones as Billy Butcherson
Tony Hale as Mayor / Reverend Traske
Taylor Henderson as Young Winifred
Nina Kitchen as Young Mary
Juju Journey Brener as Young Sarah

Premise

Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world. (from IMDB.)

High Points

The Sanderson Sisters are humanized and given a backstory.

Low Point

Letting the Sanderson Sisters sing together again just feels forced.

The Scores:

Originality: 1/6 The parts that weren’t just ripping off the original movie are ripping of any other Disney Channel movie.

Effects: 2/6 Unlike the 1993 movie, this was made in the era of CGI effects, and there are plenty of places where that shows through.

Production: 3/6 They managed to produce an adequate follow-up with less budget.  While one could complain that this seemed less well-produced than first movie, it was made for 80% of the originals budget before taking into account the difference in 1993 to 2022 dollars.

Acting: 2/6 Bette continues to aim over-the-top, but with a few extra decades of success under her belt, she doesn’t have as much to prove, and it shows. Kathy Najimy does seem like she’s just here to have fun, and is having a blast.  The rest of the cast delivers a performance that suggests they where more interested in finances than artistry.

Story: 2/6 There are highlighted points from the original movie that are shoehorned into this one, but it was mostly another excuse to let the witches come back together, sing a couple of songs, and play out some made-for-TV-movie level kids show gags to pad out the run time.

Emotional Response: 3/6 As noted, the Sanderson Sisters are humanized, but not by much.  There is enough to keep you interested enough for the third one and to make you care how their story ends.

Overall: 2/6  If you’ve watched the 1993 Hocus Poucs a few times already, this is worth it to break it up, but it can’t stand on its own.

In total, Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) receives 15/42

 

The Schedule

October 5/6: Abigail (2024) and Abigail (2023): JD
October 12/13: Season of the Witch (1972) and Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) and Season of the Witch (2009) and Season of the Witch (2011) : JD
October 19/20:Hocus Pocus (1993) and Hocus Pocus 2 (2022): `Lex
October 26/27: The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) and Humanist Vampire Seeks Suicidal Person (2023): JD
October 31: The Love Witch (2016):`Lex and Sleepaway Camp (1983): JD and Dark Gathering (2023): Alexander Case