Candyman Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
The best Candyman since the first is still a bit of a mess.
Some 14 months after it was originally supposed to release, the new Candyman sequel is finally in cinemas worldwide.
With Oscar-winner Jordan Peele signed on as both producer and co-writer, and on-the-rise filmmaker Nia DaCosta (Little Woods, The Marvels) going behind the camera to co-write and direct, Candyman was undeniably one of the year's most anticipated horror films, right alongside Halloween Kills.
And while Candyman 2021 offers an intriguing, entertaining expansion of the existing mythology, it's also a slightly deflating experience overall, especially coming from such talented artists as Peele and DaCosta.
Few will be complaining about the tight production values or the quality of the performances on offer - and indeed, the film has been generally well-received by critics - but considering the self-evident potential of resurrecting this IP in the current climate, it absolutely could've hit harder and been better.
Whether it will lead to a wider rejuvenation of the franchise or not remains to be seen, though if a sequel does indeed happen, there are certainly some lessons to be learned from what doesn't quite work here...