The legend, the myth, and the masterpiece that is Candyman is revived in Director Nia DeCosta’s new film.
In the present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and his partner (Teyonah Parris) move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence.
There are a few things you need to know before watching this movie. Following in the footsteps of 2018’s Halloween, Candyman is a direct sequel to the original 1992 film and erases the events from the sequels so you don’t need to watch the sequels if you don’t want to. Tony Todd and Vanessa Williams are the only actors from the original film to return, however, Virginia Madsen does return as Helen Lyle via voiceover.
Now, urban legends are exactly what they need to be, stories that are meant to evolve, morph or mutate to fit the era they’re told in. Candyman is exactly that, a spiritual sequel to the 1992 slasher classic, and is the seductive elegance of its physical setting. The cinematography is outstanding, repeatedly finding ways to place the audience uncomfortably in both the urban decay of the projects and the elegance of the art world. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s performance is as Anthony McCoy is brilliant as he exhibits strength, humor, fear, obsession, and as the story continues to surround him he’s just exceptional in every scene. Teyonah Parris’ Brianna is a loving, but a strong character who also shines in every scene, and props to Colman Domingo who really land that approachable-yet-mysterious vibes of someone who know far more than what they are telling.
The story is well-paced and structured that really lands its scares as well as a sense of growing tension throughout. The one issue I had (and it’s not really a major one) is that there’s a shift towards the end. It’s hard to discuss without giving things away, but it comes so abruptly that like felt like there were a few scenes (maybe even an extra 10-15 minutes) missing in the edit. Despite that, there’s a strong balance of plot, scares, and the occasional humor, and manage to expand on the themes of the original film. Doing this allowed the film to open up the narrative in many directions that also honored the original film, as well as Tony Todd’s iconic character.
Overall, this version of Candyman respects the original film and delivers strong tensions, great scares, a well-written script, and exceptional performances from its cast. The world of Candyman has so many more stories to tell, and after seeing this film you’ll want to see them. It’s smart and has an ending that will haunt you for all the right reasons.
Candyman is now playing exclusively in theaters.
What did you think of the film? Sound off in the comments.
