Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman…Ca….NOPE!
Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele’s highly anticipated reimagining of the 1992 classic horror film is now playing in theaters nationwide.
In the film, Yahya Abdul Mateen II stars as Anthony McCoy, a Chicago native and painter, who is uninspired as of late.
He’s been struggling for the past two years to create something so great that it will make the world “say his name.”
Teyonah Parris stars as Brianna Cartwright, Anthony’s lady.
She’s a curator, who is beautiful, ambitious and successful.
She’s gone stick beside Anthony and do everything in her power to help him become a renowned painter, but the task is proving to be a bit challenging.
The couple moves into a beautiful loft in the now gentrified Cabrini.
It doesn’t take long before an old-timer (Colman Domingo) hips Anthony to the the true story behind Candyman and it awakens more than just his creativity.
The new Candyman picks up around 30 years after the original and does a beautiful job of seamlessly tying the two films together.
I wouldn’t recommend watching the original before watching the new film from Nia DaCosta because it will ruin a huge plot reveal.
Like many of you, I was super excited about seeing the reimagining of the classic horror film, but as someone who had nightmares for three days after watching the original film, I was also terrified.
To my surprise (and slight disappointment), the film wasn’t as scary as I expected it to be.
The new Candyman serves more messaging and symbolism than scary.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m always here for a movie with a message, but they could have upped the ante on the horror just a bit.
Of course, they gave us the obligatory gruesome killings that made Candyman a household name.
But, the bigger message was his victims.
Pay close attention to the victims, y’all. ????
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how Nia checked off all of the boxes with this film, including gentrification, racism, classism, bullying, police brutality, trauma, and inclusivity… just to name a few.
Overall, I enjoyed the film.
So much so, that I watched it twice and I picked up things in the second watch that I didn’t catch on the first go around.
Candyman, with his hook hand and trench coat, has evolved into an avenger and I am here for all of it!
Sweets to the sweet.
