In present day, a decade after the last of
the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in
the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes
Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details
in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a
complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of
violence.
Director: Nia DaCosta
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris,
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo. Vanessa Williams, Tony Todd,
Virginia Madsen
Release Date:
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated R for bloody horror violence, and
language including some sexual references
Runtime: 1h 31min
Review:
Nia DaCosta’s spiritual sequel to the 90s
cult favorite is visually impressive with a thematically timely message even if
it’s overly didactic in its delivery.
The original film was the type of horror film that worked because its
general premise was incredibly strong even if the actual execution was a
lacking. This sequel has an art house feel to it which gives the overall story
a stylish overhaul which makes for a beautiful film to look at. The story itself suffers from its clunky
social justice message and horror roots.
DaCosta is trying like crazy to make a stronger overall point by
reworking the Candyman mythos but it doesn’t feel as organic as it should,
instead there are multiple moments where the film feels the need to beat the
message into your head. At the same time
she’s attempting to deliver a slasher film that leans on body horror a more
than jump scares. The cast is incredibly
committed which makes the film an easy watch.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II leads the
film with relative ease even though his character commits every horror movie
mistake you can think of. He’s able to
overcome the scripts deficiency and delivers a fascinating portrayal of a man
decent into madness. The supporting
cast is just as strong with Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Colman
Domingo all leaving a strong impression.
Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen both have roles in the film but your left
thinking that the director and script could have made better use of Todd who is
the embodiment of the character in the original films. Even with its fault, Candyman delivers an
entertaining refresh/reboot of the series that leaves the door open for future
installments.
B
