Hocus Pocus 2 movie review: A nostalgia filled witch hunt

We have the sequel of one of our favorite Halloween movies, Hocus Pocus 2. Does the sequel live up to the original? Or will it be another unneeded sequel? Let’s dive in.

Hocus Pocus 2 follows three young kids who accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern-day Salem. The kids must figure out how to stop the Sisters before they begin to eat the kids. The film sees the return of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters.

The movie begins with us seeing the young sisters together when a young Mary was supposed to marry one of the locals but refused. So they were banned from Salem for life, leasing the sisters meeting a witch, and the rest is history as we move to modern-day Salem.

We entered modern-say Salem, where everyone was preparing for Halloween and it’s Izzy’s birthday. Becca and Izzy meet for a birthday ritual each year for Izzy’s birthday. They also used to meet with Cassie but had a falling out. So next, at a local shop, Gilbert tells the tales of the Sanderson Sisters and for Izzy’s 16th birthday, he gives her a candle to burn for their yearly ritual. Well, he mentioned that if a virgin lit this candle on their 16th birthday, they would come back and guess what? So Izzy lit the candle, and poof, they arrived.

Now, Izzy and Becca attempt to save themselves by saying they aren’t teenagers so that the sisters won’t eat them. So they set off to Walgreens to find things that say “young” to help them feed their hunger. This entire montage of events is HILARIOUS. I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time.

Hocus Pocus 2 is funny and filled with nostalgia

We’ve seen a ton of nostalgia in 2022 in the film space. You had movies like Top Gun: Maverick and Clerks III get it right, while Jurassic World and Lightyear failed miserably. However, Hocus Pocus 2 feels like the former, knocking it out of the ballpark. You can’t help but be excited to see the Sanderson Sisters return to life as they did. I was in awe of how well this movie was written. It brought back the feels of the original while highlighting some fun and unique new stories involving them.

The entire ensemble is so much fun. From our original three plus the additions in Tony Hale, Whitney Peak, and Belissa Escobedo, my favorite was Sam Richardson as Gilbert. He always has the ability to steal the show when he is in the movies.

Overall, Hocus Pocus 2 checks all the boxes you want from the movie. It’s funny, filled with nostalgia and has a well-written story that puts the pieces together perfectly. I had a great time with the film and I think you will too.

Hocus Pocus 2 hits Disney+ on Sept. 30.