5 Huge Mistakes That Killed The Candyman Reboot
1. It's Structurally Broken
The biggest reason this movie isn't better? Because the structuring of the screenplay is so completely off. It's not a terrible script - the shadow puppet scenes are great, the set-pieces are disturbingly effective and the dialogue is OK when the characters aren't spouting unsubtle social commentary - but it's very badly put-together in the end.
The film totally messes up its protagonist and antagonist. No-one ever actually fights Candyman, meaning that this movie totally lacks any suspense, while Anthony ends up being a passenger in his own movie.
All he really does is transform into a new Candyman incarnation, and aside from Burke (the secondary villain) none of the other characters really do anything much either.
Therefore, the film never feels like a coherent story with a proper through-line, and its final act feels like a second act setting up a third one that, of course, never comes, so you'll leave this movie feeling monumentally unsatisfied.
Basically, Anthony transforms, kills a group of cops, the Candyman tells Anthony's girlfriend (Teyonah Parris) to "Tell everyone" about the legend, then the movie ends out of nowhere. Talk about an anti-climax.
The ending to this film sets up a sequel and a sequel, in fairness, could work. It'll need to avoid the mistakes of this disappointing reboot though.