Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Hocus Pocus 2’

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson, Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, and Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson in Disney's live-action HOCUS POCUS 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Matt Kennedy. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
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Hello kiddies! It’s spooky season again which means we here at NTG are loading up the Horror vault with monster mayhem, ghastly ghouls, and zany zombies. And no dark crypt would be complete without its share of wicked witches, am I right? With that in mind, and keeping this one family friendly, I’m here to discuss the follow up to the fan favorite and Halloween cult classic, Hocus Pocus (Walt Disney Pictures; 1993).
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Simply titled Hocus Pocus 2 (Walt Disney Pictures; 2022), the infamous Sanderson Sisters have risen again and are in search of more of the same – youth, beauty and children! *QUEUE CACKLING WITCH LAUGHTER HERE* Since I’m such a big fan of the original, I went ahead and made it a double feature by watching it first. So, before we look at the follow-up, let’s revisit a few favs, shall we?

For me, part of the magic the first time around came from the dynamic between the witches themselves. Played by Bette Midler (Winnie), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah) and Kath Najimy (Mary), these ladies were fantastic together. Easily my favorite is Sarah Sanderson!! Whose naivety and fluffy ditzy nature coupled with her dark undertones made me love her instantly.

Next up… Doug Jones as the lanky, awkward zombie William “Billy” Butcherson. I LOVE him!! Unfortunately for Billy, Winnie poisoned him as a man then summoned him to rise from the grave 300 years later to do her bidding. *SHEESH – POOR GUY* With almost no lines, the character stands out by using physical comedy and facial expressions. both of which are awesome. His utter annoyance with Winnie being the best part… LOL!! A few other favorites include the cat Thackery Binx (voice: Sean Murray) and the two bullies Jay and “Ice” (*smirk*) played by Tobias Jelinek and Larry Bagby respectively. As well as the cameos of film and TV juggernauts Garry and Penny Marshall. All of which help round out this campy, family friendly Halloween flick that’s celebrated year after year. Did lightening strike twice with the second installment? Another cult classic perhaps? Let’s discuss.

Providing more backstory on the Sanderson sisters, part 2 opens in 1653 Salem, Massachusetts – 40 years before the original which began in 1693. The young Sanderson sisters, with no surviving parents, are under the care of the town’s Reverend Traske (Tony Hale) who demands that 16-year-old Winnie (Taylor Henderson) marry. Refusing this order, rather than be separated from her sisters, Winnie instructs them to flee with her into the Forbidden Forest. There they befriend a bird turned human name Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham) who gives Winnie her magical book of spells. But not before mentioning a spell left out of the first film – the Magicae Maxima *OOOOO, SPOOKY* Apparently, this incantation makes the user an all-powerful witch and Mother Witch firmly warns against casting this nefarious spell, but gives no details as to why. Yeah, that’s not coming back around later or anything… LOL!! From there, the rest is history.

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(L-R): Belissa Escobedo as Izzy, Whitney Peak as Becca, and Lilia Buckingham as Cassie in Disney's live-action HOCUS POCUS 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In present day Salem we’re introduced to a new would-be trio, two of which are tricked into conjuring the Sanderson sisters once more. At the center of the threesome, Becca (Whitney Peak) who is now 16, heads to the forest with Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) for her yearly birthday ritual. Only this time, they are aided by the enchanted candle given to them by Gilbert (Sam Richardson) the owner of the Olde Salem Magic Shoppe – the former home of the Sanderson sisters. *Raised eyebrow* Nothing nefarious going on here folks… move along! LOL!! The third girl, Cassie Traske (Lilia Buckingham) – daughter of Mayor Traske and descendent of Reverend Traske – is on the outs with Becca and Izzy but is later forced to team up with them to fight off the Sanderson sisters. By the end, the trio learns the value of sisterhood and telling the truth. *AWWW*
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Similar to the first film, the overall tale is predictable and campy, but still works. And let’s not forget, the 1993 Hocus Pocus was far from a smash hit! In fact, it was a box office flop before finding new life on cable and home video – including VHS *WOW* It took years for it to fully resurrect (*WINK*) itself to eventually become part of the yearly Halloween zeitgeist today. Interesting, no? Either way, knowing that all three ladies retuned for the sequel was reason enough for me to watch it no matter what. With Sarah Sanderson still my favorite, I loved seeing her scatterbrained character again!! Let alone the fact that Doug Jones reprises his role as Billy Butcherson (*YAY!!!*), this time, with more dialogue and a fitting backstory. *HECK YEAH!* Plus, Sam Richardson is a nice addition to the mix! I also thought the writers did a good job explaining how he fit in and why he would want to conjure the Sanderson sisters to begin with. Tony Hale is also his usual weirdly funny self which was great! And even Winnie’s book of spells has more of a prominent role giving me a tiny bit of Thor: Love and Thunder (Marvel Studios; 2022) Stormbreaker vibes… LOL! I also really loved the story and strife surrounding the three teenage girls. Very typical of high school and well blended into the major plot making it easy to introduce coming of age themes without seeming too heavy handed against the silly and quirky leading tale. Additionally, the Walgreens scene is absolutely hilarious and perfectly on brand with our out of time witches! And though the replacement brooms this time around were… um, a bit over the top… it all worked in the end giving the audience a mix of nostalgia and modernity. There are a few Easter eggs as well. A couple I spied included a blip of Gary and Penny Marshall from the original film seen on a townsfolk TV and a lady in the dance sequence dressed like Madonna harkening back to the kids mother from the first installment. *VERY COOL*

Finally, the overall story and its characters include a great deal of diversity and inclusivity not seen the first time around. As well as discussions on bullying and some small commentary on the patriarch. All of which are lockstep with Disney’s newer more progressive policies. True, it felt just a teensy bit forced and I could certainly see a plethora of man babies shouting woke SJW (social justice warrior) nonsense. *HUGE EYEROLL* However, progress, just like representation, matters and Hollywood – with Disney often leading the charge – is finally catching up and I LOVE IT!! Besides, the majority of fans will find it refreshing to say the least. And quite honestly, Hocus Pocus 2 is the perfect type of film to boast costumes, famous drag queens (*NICE*) and musical numbers without seeming over intentional.

All that aside, one area that struck me as odd is the fact that by the end the Sanderson sisters are portrayed in a bit of a redemptive light. Set up by the beginning sequence showing the girls somewhat seduced into the dark arts as well as the fact that Winnie expresses her unwillingness to go on without her sisters then and now softens their evilness which seems a little weird. I mean… they eat children… lol!! Besides, we love the Sanderson sisters BECAUSE they’re evil. That’s the whole point. Three bumbling witches lusting after power fail again and again and we love it because they’re good at it… LOL! They’re not supposed to win OR be redeemed in my opinion. And reportedly, due to the initial ending having a poor reception with test audiences, reshoots were done in June which makes me wonder how I might feel about seeing an alternate ending for comparison. Does this hint of redemption still exist? And what about the fact the Mother Witch bird is seen flying in the end as the new teenage trio walk towards home. Or, how about that final conclusion? I guess post credits scenes aren’t just for Marvel anymore folks! Not to mention, I certainly took note that there was a whole shelf of Grimoires in Gilbert’s magic shop like Winnie’s book. *INTERESTING!* Is a third installment in the works? Only time will tell. Regardless, unless a part 3 were to explore this redemptive arch further (NO…. please, just… NO!!), I can live with the small amount we’re given. Because seriously, the sisters caused too much damage and likely killed too many. They had to die! Now, that’s not to say I wouldn’t want to see these ladies again. If Midler, Parker, and Najimy are on board who knows. I mean… I thought the original was finite with the black flame candle and their deaths yet here we are… lol! Alternatively… moving away from the Sanderson sisters… what about a TV series? Disney’s answer to a new Sabrina (ABC/WB; 1996-2003) perhaps? *Raised eyebrow* Either way, cult classic or not, I hope you enjoy Hocus Pocus 2 as much as I did!

Until next time.

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