Madison Meeks – Media Director

mvm7037@psu.edu

Photo Credit: Disney

Disney’s “Hocus Pocus 2” is the sequel to the 1993 original. The film brings back some of the actors from the original movie like Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the iconic Sanderson Sisters.

The movie starts in Salem, Massachusetts in 1653 with the story of how the Sanderson Sisters became witches. Young Winifred is banished from Salem after refusing to marry a boy named John Pritchett. Winifred escapes into the forest with her sisters Mary and Sarah after almost being separated. In the woods, the three meet Mother Witch, who gives them a spell book. The story of how the Sanderson Sisters came to be witches is a smart introduction as it gives the audience some background of how these characters came to be. 

The movie then fast-forwards to 2022, 29 years after the end of the first movie. The story follows two girls named Becca and Izzy, who are preparing to celebrate Izzy’s birthday. The two are given a candle, not knowing that it was a black flame candle, which is used to resurrect the Sanderson Sisters, by the owner of the magic shop Gilbert. After Becca and Izzy accidentally resurrect the Sanderson Sisters, they trick the sisters into thinking that they are also witches and take them to the local Walgreens saying that the products are made from the spirits of children. The two girls tricking the sisters at Walgreens is one of the very funny moments of the movie. 

Becca and Izzy find out that they were tricked by Gilbert to resurrect the Sanderson Sisters. The Sanderson Sisters trap the girls in the basement of the magic shop after seeing a poster of Mayor Traske, who is a direct descendant of Reverend Traske, the reverend from earlier in the movie. After the book shows the girls a warning about the Magicae Maxima spell. They decide to try to give Winifred a warning but when her sisters have faded away, she begs the girls to save her sisters. Even though the girls can not save Mary and Sarah, Izzy, Becca, and their friend Cassie create a coven which then casts a reuniting spell and Winifred fades away. 

In all, “Hocus Pocus 2” was a humorous, delightful, and interesting sequel to the first film “Hocus Pocus”. The movie is perfect for anyone who loves the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus or loves family-friendly Halloween movies.