"Candyman"
"Candyman"
"Candyman"
"Candyman"
"Candyman"
Even if you’re unfamiliar with the original 1992 movie, something tells us that you’ve probably said those words into a mirror at some point (well, if you’re brave/stupid enough). While Candyman might not be in quite the same league as Jason Vorhees or Michael Myers in terms of being perceived as a horror icon, Nia DaCosta’s sequel to the original movie goes a long way towards changing that, creating a new mythology for this character that has some serious franchise potential. Telling the story of an artist who discovers this urban myth, Candyman follows Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as he’s taken down a dark path where only madness and horror awaits; meanwhile, his girlfriend Brianna (Teyonnah Parris) is forced to watch as he begins to unravel and a series of brutal murders resurrect a legend thought to be vanquished after the fiery finale of the original (other sequels have followed, but this one is closely tied to the first movie in a lot of unexpected ways).
Without heading into spoiler territory, DaCosta - who also penned the screenplay alongside Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld - creates a mythology around the Candyman legend that delivers a far more hard-hitting and thought-provoking story than you’ll see in almost any other horror franchise. By building on the idea that Candyman was created because of the inherent racism in society, the filmmaker is able to better establish the place of this character in the world and in the process makes him far less one-dimensional. Now, he's a vengeful spirit of sorts who, while still a killer of the innocent, has a backstory rooted in a tragedy the movie makes clear continues to repeat itself no matter how much time moves on. With that, Candyman becomes a damning reflection of the world we live in today and much more than just a myth created to scare children. DaCosta has added new layers to the legend and, as a result, leaves us with more than just scares to think about once the credits roll.
Visually, DaCosta expertly creates a sense of discomfort from the start, and like the original, continues to build tension to the point it becomes hard to bear. This Candyman is quite a bit scarier than its predecessor and there are some superb visuals to be found here, including a memorable elevator sequence and some inventive kills made more impactful by what you don't see. The filmmaker feels well-suited to the horror genre, though we’re extremely excited to see what she does with The Marvels as it feels like Marvel Studios has found yet another visionary filmmaker who can help them continue to tell timely and meaningful stories that leave more than just a fleeting impression after two hours of action. If the movie slips up anywhere, it’s with the ending; the pieces all fall into place a little too quickly, and rushing to that point is definitely detrimental to Anthony’s story arc. There’s some muddled exposition, and the whole thing just needed a little more space to breathe; the closing few minutes are terrific, though, and will definitely leave you wanting more.
However, it’s a little ironic that in a movie named after a character many do view as a horror legend, there’s no real antagonist beyond the spectre haunting Anthony as his mind unravels. This is a hard point to talk about without giving anything away (don’t fret - we see plenty of gore after those foolish enough to say his name meet their grisly ends), but with no Tony Todd haunting Anthony, as he once did Helen Lyle, Candyman does suffer to some extent. It’s fortunate that Anthony’s breakdown is so deftly explored, and Abdul-Mateen II deserves a lot of credit for that.
As per usual, the Emmy-winner delivers a superb performance, as does Parris. DaCosta could not have found better leads and both highlight what incredible talents they are with ease. Considering the fact it feels like they’ve both only really stepped into leading roles in the past few years, Candyman only serves to emphasise that these two should have always been, and will likely continue, dominating Hollywood (no doubt for a very long time to come). Colman Domingo is also on top form, though Nathan Stewart-Jarrett - who you may remember from Misfits - brings very little to proceedings.
Deepening the franchise’s mythology with a timely and hard-hitting approach to the Candyman legend, Nia DaCosta delivers a horror movie that’s terrifying, thought-provoking, and a sign of great things to come from the filmmaker.