Directed by Nia Dacosta
Starring: Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Tony Todd, Teyonah Paris, Colman Domingo & Nathan Stewart-Jarrett
Almost 30 years have passed since Candyman wreaked havoc on Cabrini Green in west side Chicago. Candyman is a vengeful spirit, whose legend tells that he will appear behind you after saying his name 5 times in the mirror, has become somewhat of a cult classic since his intro in 1992. There have been many low-budget or straight-to-video release sequels over the years but Nia Dacosta’s current take is a direct sequel to the very first film. This new film takes place 30 years after the first, focusing mainly on an artist, struggling to find inspiration who becomes obsessed with the legend of the Candyman and its sources in Cabrini Green.
This film tackles a lot of issues, gentrification, racism, classism, issues in the art community, and even some touches on feminism. This film also boasts some grotesque body horror, intriguing cinematography, and a handful of jumpscare stings. Balancing all these ideas, issues, characters, and plotlines isn’t easy which the film certainly starts to show as it goes on. By the end, the film simply ends with a predictable turn of events that takes all the bite out of the mystery which has entangled this franchise since 1992.
Candyman 2021 is an ambitious horror project. Moody and atmospheric scenes of reverse city skylines in fog lead into harsh close-ups of the main character as he slowly descends into madness is unfortunately juxtaposed with on-the-nose dialogue about the scumminess of the mordent art scene. The biggest issue was the dialogue or the writing, although not that often. Most of the time, there are plenty of great scenes especially with the “comic relief” character, played by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, that were genuinely funny and took some of the pressure off the more horror-oriented segments.
This is not always the case though, with so much crammed in to cover the script struggles to clearly give out information in a natural way. Many of the plot-focused conversations seem heavy-handed or “telling” motivations rather than showing through actions or otherwise. These problems with the script also lead to a feeling that the original actually dealt with the political side of Candyman a bit better. Or at the least, with a bit more effectiveness. The actual horror aspects are great. Especially the main character’s horrific bee sting which has some of the best special effects I’ve seen in a while once it begins to fester. The iconic look of the titular avenging spirit himself was also perfect and the choice to keep Tony Todd on as Candyman was a welcome surprise.
Aside from its few issues, Candyman 2021 does a good job with its material. It’s a horror movie that carries on the legacy of its predecessor but unfortunately stumbles along the way. It’s an effective horror and gripping drama with a couple of solid twists that keep legend feeling fresh, but ultimately implodes under the own weight of its ambitions. Candyman is currently in theaters and I recommend anyone who can, whether you’re interested in this iteration or a fan of the original, to visit the legend of Candyman here in 2021.
