Candyman Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
Ups...
5. The Strong Ensemble Cast
By far the most water-tight thing about this movie is its cast - everyone's bringing their A-game to the table and makes the sure most of the material.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is an intriguingly ambiguous lead as tortured artist Anthony, while the great Teyonah Parris is perfect as his increasingly exasperated girlfriend Brianna.
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett makes for amusing comic relief as Brianna's flamboyantly gay brother Troy, while Vanessa Estelle Williams - who barely seems like she's aged a day in three decades - is excellent in her brief reprise of Anne-Marie McCoy from the original Candyman.
But the easy highlight overall is Colman Domingo as William Burke, a resident of the Cabrini Green neighbourhood who has a unique history with the Candyman legend.
Beyond his soothingly gravelly voice, he brings a real presence and power to his few scenes throughout the movie, such that you wish so much of his dialogue wasn't merely expository.