Mirror Movie Review: Hocus Pocus 2

What better thing to do on a cool October night than to watch Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel to the beloved fan favorite Halloween movie Hocus Pocus? This eagerly anticipated film takes viewers along for an adventure as the Sanderson sisters are accidentally brought back to modern day Salem by two young girls who have to figure out how to stop them from unleashing havoc on the world.

This movie begins by exploring the common idea in recent movies that maybe the villains weren’t always bad. In this case, the Sanderson sisters, who are Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy) are shown are little girls who the Mayor of Salem is trying to separate from one another because they are different and refuse to be like the typical women in Salem during this time period. The result of this is that the three sisters run away together and become witches to protect themselves and when they come back to present day Salem they are looking to get revenge on the current Mayor of Salem (Tony Hale).

The two main protagonists in Hocus Pocus 2 are Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo). These two girls struggle with fitting in at school because they are seen as weird and people believe they are witches because they take part in a birthday ritual in the woods on every Halloween night, which is Becca’s birthday. Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) who is the Mayor's daughter, used to be very close friends with Becca and Izzy, but she started to become more popular and care more about what others think of her, so their friendship started to drift apart.

This Halloween night was a special night because it was Becca's 16th birthday, which is also the age when a witch first starts to get her powers. Becca and Izzy started the night off by visiting their friend Gilbert (Sam Richardson) at his magic store, where he gave them a special candle to light during their birthday ritual. Soon after lighting the candle the two girls realized Gilbert lied to them and the candle was a black flame candle. By lighting the black flame candle, the two girls brought the Sanderson sisters back to life. Upon the Sanderson sisters' arrival, Becca and Izzy discovered that to complete their plan of taking over Salem, they needed the blood of an enemy which put their “friend” Cassie (the Mayor's daughter) in danger. Viewers will learn more about Becca's self-discovery and even see the return of some iconic characters such as Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones) from the original movie as Becca and Izzy try to stop the Sanderson sisters from taking over and in the end viewers will be left contemplating the question of will there be a Hocus Pocus 3?

One of the best aspects of the movie is the beautiful scenery. Although the movie portrays Salem, the actual filming happened in different places across Rhode Island, but they do a great job capturing the atmosphere of Salem during the fall. The gorgeous colors from the New England fall foliage added to the great fall vibe of the movie.

Along with the set design, the acting is also top-notch. It is great to see how they bring back some of the original actors from the first Hocus Pocus in 1993. Midler, Parker, and Najimy in particular, do a great job playing the Sanderson sisters, showing the same personality and emotion as they did 29 years ago in the original movie. The chemistry between these three actors is phenomenal and they do a stellar job connecting to their characters and portraying their characters flawlessly. They also do a great job engaging with the audience, adding a level of humor to the film.

As for the younger cast members, they aren’t particularly outstanding, but do an acceptable job carrying along the plot and serving as the new characters that young viewers can connect with.

Although many aspects of this movie were great, others were not as great. Some of the singing and dancing scenes, especially in the beginning, feel out of place and serve no real purpose besides for entertainment which doesn’t fit in with the plot. At some points the plot is a little shaky and leaves viewers with questions that do not get resolved.

The story line also feels rushed at times and tries to go in too many directions all at once, which leaves viewers feeling confused at points.

Hocus Pocus 2 is a good movie, overall, that does its job celebrating the legacy of the original. If you are looking for a fun and wholesome movie to watch around Halloween time this is a great option.

Keira Murphy Clinton, class of 2025, is an Arts and Entertainment editor. She also competes as a marauder on the field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse team. In her free time she enjoys baking, skiing, shopping with her friends, and spending time with her family.