Candyman (2021 film)

Category: Supernatural horror/reboot of established IP with social commentary

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There's a fine balancing act that reboots/remakes and sequels need to walk - if they differ too much from established lore, then it's not really a sequel. But if the new story is too rooted in established lore, new audiences won't catch on because of stuff they never knew they needed to know about. And then you have the problem that if too much of the run-time is spent recapping or referencing established lore, this leaves less room to progress the actual story. Having said all that, I went in to this movie with absolutely no knowledge of the previous series - I didn't actually know this was a reboot until I read the IMDB page.

The premise behind Candyman plays on the urban legend that standing infront of a mirror and saying "Candyman" five times will make the Candyman himself appear and kill you, but now comes packaged with a sociopolitical twist. This isn't just a standard horror film - it's a commentary on racism by those nasty nasty wypipo and police brutality.

The basic plot outline is that Anthony, an artist in Chicago, becomes intruiged by the story of a baby kidnapping as well as a murder mystery based around the Cabrini-Green projects of the city. But what is this? The poor guy just happens to be stung by a bee and gets an infection that spreads at just about the same time he starts succumbing to visions and paranoia about The Candyman. Cue gruesome deaths as the legend of the Candyman grows. In the end, Anthony is kidnapped and an attempt is made to transform him into the Candyman, and the Candyman (whoever it turns out to be!) sticks it to the nasty cops who like to shoot first and ask questions later. Take that, motherfuckers!!!

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Now, if that plot outline makes it sound interesting, I'm about to let you down - the movie really isn't that great. Sure, there's a mystery. Sure, there are gruesome deaths. Sure, there is late horror movie legend Tony Todd, and there is a backstory just in case you're interested in the previous Candyman (Candymen?) - but it just didn't mesh, even if we take the racial politics out.

What didn’t help were a couple of plot holes that made me go huh?!? The biggest one was the idea that The Candyman is all about "racial justice" due to happenings decades ago - but if that is the case, then why does The Candyman also kill black people, alongside whites and Asians? I would have thought someone out for racial justice would be dishing out that justice to the people who have a connection to those who did the misdeeds. God, even Jigsaw's philosophy makes more sense!

Then there is a flashback scene where the current Candyman walks in to a room after his sister has been murdered by the previous Candyman, presumably some time before the current Candyman took on the mantle. Don't know about you, but if you just killed my sister, no way am I joining your cause. In fact, I'll call you out so I can avenge her death myself!

And the whole idea of making this movie to comment about police brutality when the premise of the movie is literally about a black guy that murders innocent people (unless saying someone's nom de guerre is a racialised microaggression now). I would have bought the whole "vengeance against police brutality" thing if the movie was simply about The Candyman taking revenge against bad cops - and only bad cops. Alas, no...

But at least the puppetry was really good, and whoever did the actual art for Anthony is clearly quite talented!

STAR RATING: 2.5/5