“Hocus Pocus 2” was just released and took a surprising spin from the original.

The film “Hocus Pocus” came out almost three decades ago and is still a Halloween favorite. On Sept. 30, “Hocus Pocus 2” was released through Disney+. All three main actors – Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy – returned for the sequel.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that when “Hocus Pocus 2” was announced, there was lots of excitement. Fans were ready to experience the clever, spooky and surprising plot that the original brought to the start of the season. Unfortunately, however, “Hocus Pocus 2” did not deliver.

Like the first movie, “Hocus Pocus 2” starts with an origin story. This time the movie details how the Sanderson Sisters got their power. From the start, the movie seemed to lack a particular focus.

The film then jumps to modern-day Salem. Right off the bat, it becomes a little generic. Becca and Izzy have remained close friends, while their friend Cassie is no longer as close due to her boyfriend. Each Halloween, on Becca’s birthday, they do a magic ritual.

The Sanderson Sisters’ house has been turned into a magic shop, which is different from the original movie, where it was a museum. The owner gives the girls a candle for their ritual. That night when they light the candle, the Sisters return.

The sisters break out into song before telling the girls that they will take their souls. Becca and Izzy convince the witches that young souls can be found in skin care products and take them to a drug store.

The dialogue used is, at best, unconvincing and play-like. It is not what was expected out of a big upcoming film. The girls finally escape to find help and end up in the Sanderson home with the Sisters.

The two girls get locked in the basement while the Sanderson sisters decide to make a power spell. The Sisters go off trying to find the blood of an enemy for their spell. Cassie’s father happens to be a descendant of the witches’ past enemy, so they go after him. Becca and Izzy enlist Cassie’s help. Cassie reconnects with her other two friends once again when helping them try to defeat the Sisters.
It is fair to say that this movie was a disappointment for many fans. It took a turn from an iconic Halloween movie to a mediocre one.

One of the most significant differences is the contrast with the originality of the first “Hocus Pocus.” The relationships in the sequel are overly predictable. The narrative is anything but unique. The light-hearted ending is not necessarily an issue, though it does change the movie’s atmosphere.

The sequel, like most, did not hold surprise or interest very well. The plot kept changing and producing different goals for the characters.

Although it was exciting to see the Sisters back on the screen, it did not create the spookiness and appeal of the first movie.