The Return of the Sanderson Sisters

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Almost 30 years after the original’s release in 1993, Hocus Pocus 2 came out on Sept.30, just in time for the beginning of the Halloween season. The new Hocus Pocus is a “spooky sequel” on Disney Plus. It offers a modern take on the classic concept that features the return of iconic witches the Sanderson Sisters, portrayed by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as they return to Salem (and wreak havoc in the process). 

The Sanderson sisters again find themself at odds with modern society. Comedic scenes of the sisters trying to make sense of a modern Walgreens pharmacy parallel the original movie’s humorous ‘what if’ scenarios as the three sisters from the 1690s are baffled by cars, makeup, and vacuum cleaners. The movie is set off in a similar way as the original, as the witches once again return as a result of a virgin lighting a black candle, though circumstances are slightly different. 

This time, the protagonist, Becca (Whitney Peak) and best friend Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) light the black flame candle on Halloween night in their hangout spot within the forest and the witches return. 

The witches’ goal is to get the children to show them that the witches were not a myth. The second movie is more up to date technology wise. For example the Sanderson sisters go into a pharmacy and are very confused as to what they are in. They didn’t know what it was at first and they were very confused. 

The movie was very predictable and left little room for suspense. The only enthusiastic part was the fall festival when they start singing “One Way or Another” because it hypnotizes people into getting the mayor. 

The first movie felt more connected with the audience in a way that the characters felt more into the movie than the new one. Although it is hard to beat the original, there were many great parts of this movie and I do suggest that you give it a watch.