Hocus Pocus 2: Movie Review

Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Doug Jones, Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale

Director: Anne Fletcher

More mild than anything wild, Hocus Pocus 2 arrives in time for Halloween and in time to try and salvage the reputation of the first film from 1993.

Savaged on release, but finding another lease on life on home video, the original Hocus Pocus has garnered somewhat of a cult following. But this sequel nearly three decades on doesn't really have what it takes to cast such a lasting spell a second time around.

In this latest, a clutch of teens (Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo) inadvertently conjure up the return of the Sanderson Sisters to Salem after a spell goes awry.

The trio of OG witches set their sights on gaining revenge from decades ago, and decide the best way to do this is to stop the lineage of their old nemesis the Traske family - by offing Tony Hale's mayor of Salem, a direct descendant...

It's hard to get thrilled by this film, a family friendly piece of fluff that's so barebones and vanilla, there's not even a hint of nastiness from any of its lead witches.

Continuing the Disney trend of redeeming all of its villains, Hocus Pocus 2 is solely intent on following that path that it mutes everything that would make a sequel shine.

With a few meta touches, some jabs at societal ills (taking aim at selfies and skincare), the Gothic Golden Girls really don't have much to offer in this broad movie that meanders from one moment to the next.

While Midler appears to relish her screen time, there's little else for the others to do except follow in her thrall and to a tepid conclusion that's both muddled and cloying. There are nostalgic nods to the past, but it's not enough to convince this reunion was really worth it - Disney's produced better magic in the past, and disappointingly this second flight of fancy is more likely to be forgotten than rolled out every year as a scary classic.