Spoiler WarningIt’s been 29 years since the Sanderson Sisters made their last appearance in the first Hocus Pocus film. Now the black flame candle has been lit once again releasing the witches to cause more havoc in Salem in this impressive and hilarious sequel. Hocus Pocus 2 is easily an enjoyable film for both adults and children alike that brings the same spooky humor from its predecessor but with a modern twist. The film instantly captures the Disney Halloween magic while the Sanderson sisters are delightfully evil as ever. Hocus Pocus 2 pays homage to the original while introducing some fresh new faces along the way.
In the year 1653, a young Winifred Sanderson (Taylor Henderson) is banished from Salem by Reverend Traske (Tony Hale) after she defied the authority of the church by refusing to marry John Pritchett (Thomas Fitzgerald). Rather than letting her sisters, Mary (Nina Kitchen) and Sarah (Juju Journey Brener), be taken away from her, Winifred escapes with them to a nearby forbidden forest. There, they make the acquaintance of Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham) who gifts Winifred her magic book for her 16th birthday but warns them against casting a spell known as the Magicae Maxima, which makes the user all-powerful. Mother Witch also teaches the sisters to kill other children in order to keep their youthfulness.
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Transitioning into the present in the year 2022, it has now been 29 years since the Sanderson sisters were last resurrected by the black flame candle. Introducing in modern-day Salem, teenagers Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) are both preparing to celebrate Halloween and Becca’s 16th birthday but also rejecting a house party invitation from their estranged friend Cassie Traske (Lilia Buckingham). Both Becca and Izzy visit a magic shop (formerly known as the Sanderson cottage) which is now owned by Gilbert (Sam Richardson). He gifts Becca a candle for their annual birthday ritual. Becca and Izzy go into the woods and light the candle only to discover that it is another black flame candle. As there is a full moon in the night sky and both girls are virgins, the candle resurrects the Sanderson sisters once again.
The Sanderson Sisters are Back
Walt Disney Studios
The girls manage to outwit the sisters into a local Walgreens store and then later escape to the magic shop where they discover that Gilbert had tricked them into reviving the sisters. Gilbert reveals that he had seen the Sanderson sisters on Halloween back in 1993 and was taught how to make the candle by the one-eyed spell book. The sisters manage to catch up to the girls and see a campaign flyer belonging to Mayor Jefry Traske, Cassie’s father and Reverend Traske’s direct descendant from the year 1653. Winifred (Bette Midler) decides that they will cast the Magicae Maxima spell to eliminate Traske and take revenge on all of Salem. The sisters trap both Izzy and Becca in the basement and leave them to hunt down Traske, whose blood is needed to complete the spell while they force Gilbert to collect the other ingredients.
The girls escape the basement and immediately head to the Cassie’s house to warn the mayor while the Sanderson sisters find their way to the town’s Halloween carnival who then enchants the citizens to help them find the Traske. Meanwhile, Gilbert digs up Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones) from his grave, who has been awake but entombed since 1993. Gilbert secretly needs Billy’s head for the spell but instead tricks Billy into helping him collect the other ingredients first. The girls reunite with Cassie at her home and manage to trap the sisters within a salt circle in Cassie’s garage before Mayor Traske returns home.
The three teenagers make amends with one another, but their reunion is short-lived when the Sanderson sisters escape the salt circle and kidnap Cassie to use her blood instead. Becca and Izzy follow them to the forbidden forest where Gilbert has assembled the ingredients and soon discovers that Becca is also a witch. The sisters were able to partially cast the spell and increase their power, but Becca distracts them while Izzy rescues Cassie. Becca manages to convince Book that it does not have to answer to Winifred, and Becca and Book flee further into the forest. Book shows them a warning about the Magicae Maxima spell, stating that whoever casts it must give up what they cherish most.
The three teenagers agree to warn Winifred of the price of the spell but realize they are too late. Winifred becomes all powerful as Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) fade to dust. Winifred grows despondent and begs the teenagers to use their newfound powers to save her sisters. While they cannot save the two, Becca, Cassie and Izzy come together as a coven and cast a reuniting spell and Winifred happily fades away to be reunited with her sisters.
The girls are reunited by both Gilbert and Billy while Billy starts to fade away, realizing that all of Winifred’s spells have been undone and relieved to finally be headed to his eternal rest. The girls decide to give Book a new home and continue practicing their magic as they walk off into the night similarly as the Sanderson sisters. As they leave the woods, a bird identical to the one that Mother Witch had shape-shifted into flies overhead. Back at Gilbert’s magic shop, his black cat hops onto a shelf where another black flame candle sits, hinting that the Sanderson sisters could return yet again.
Hocus Pocus 2 Breaks the Legacy Sequel Curse
While the first film was a massive box office flop and later became a cult classic through home release, Hocus Pocus 2 proves to be a new Halloween favorite. The film has just the right amount of nostalgia, while the cast did an overall excellent performance. The special effects were obviously going to be much better than the first film which was released in the early 90s, but ideally, Hocus Pocus 2 deserved a release over at-home streaming. The long-awaited sequel certainly is a fun ride while the third film has not been officially confirmed, but it is currently being teased.
Hocus Pocus 2 is currently available for streaming exclusively on Disney+.
