Hocus Pocus 2 Review: 4 Ups & 6 Downs

Downs...

6. It's A Generic, Nostalgia-Reliant "Legacy Sequel"

Hocus Pocus 2 is a prototypical "legacy sequel" through and through: a glorified remake of the first film that pits the original characters against a trio of younger foils intended to supplant them.

The plot at times feels beat-for-beat identical to the original, what with the Sanderson sisters again being resurrected by Black Flame Candle shenanigans, after which they again attempt to wreak vengeance on Salem.

Of course, Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones) gets resurrected again and loses his head again, the Sandersons commandeer another stage for a sing-song, and the new heroes have to trick them in order to escape their clutches.

You can practically sense screenwriter Jen D'Angelo ticking off the checklist of rehashed story beats, which combined with a stifling number of lazy callbacks to moments from the first film, makes Hocus Pocus 2 feel too nostalgia-reliant for its own good.

It's clear that Disney greenlit this sequel with the intent of just dining out on the original's cult success, recycling its plot points and most memorable gags for a new generation to "enjoy," albeit with predictably diminishing returns for fans of the 1993 movie.