Do not focus on Hocus Pocus 2
29 years after the original, Hocus Pocus 2 was released on Disney Plus on Sept. 30. The sequel follows the original story of Hocus Pocus, and stars some of the original actors.
Hocus Pocus, released on July 16, 1993, follows the story of Max Dennison, his younger sister, Emily Dennison, and the love interest, Allison. After moving to Salem, Massachusetts, the siblings and Allison explore the abandoned house of the Sanderson sisters, three witches who were put to death during the witch trials. Max accidentally reincarnates the sisters, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy, and spends the night attempting to run and hide from the sisters as they try to cast a spell on Emily to make themselves beautiful. The movie acquired $8.1 million on its opening weekend but dropped from the top ten list within two weeks.
Hocus Pocus 2 generally follows the same plot as the first movie, with three young women accidentally reincarnating the witches after they were tricked into a ceremony by a shopkeeper that desperately wanted to meet them. The main character Becca, played by Whitney Peak, discovers through the course of the movie that she possesses the same powers as the witches. She discovers that Winifred, the main witch, intends to cast a spell to make herself the most powerful witch to ever live. The movie ultimately uses its own abilities to overpower them and in a typical Disney style, convinces them that they shouldn’t proceed with their plans to become the most powerful witches in Salem and get revenge on all thoughts who harmed them. Winifred goes through with her plan anyway, but save failed to read the warning page on the spell, which stated that the only way to gain ultimate power was to sacrifice what you loved most. We eventually find out that she treasured her sisters most, and after the spell was cast, they disappeared. Distraught, Winifred begs Becca to reverse the spell and bring her sisters back. Becca complies and performs the spell, but we then find out that the spell sends Winifred to her sisters, rather than making her sisters come back.
Despite Parker, Midler, and Najimy living up to the expectations that were set for them (fabulous acting, singing, and drama), the movie itself was disappointing overall. The Disney take on the movie gave the sequel a cheesy ending. Although it is understood that children are the target audience, it was disappointing to all who waited almost 30 years to see a sequel.
Hocus Pocus 2, as with most continuations, did not live up to the expectation set by the original movie. There were certain aspects that proved the movie could’ve been better than it was, and certain tidbits and Easter eggs that made the movie interesting enough to finish, but not anything that would even come close to the first movie.
