Better Late Than Never Review: Candyman (2021)

I finally got a chance to watch Candyman (2021) directed by Nia DaCosta and produced and co-written by Jordan Peele. The film focuses on Anthony, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who is playing a character we have met before in the canon of the Candyman franchise. The film does a really good job of adding to an already well-established story that was unique when it came out in the 90s and does nothing to ruin the legacy of one of horror’s favorite hook-handed spirits of vengeance. 

You cannot look at this new film without re-visiting the original 1992 film starring Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen. Back then, while telling a great horror story the film did a good job at looking at social issues back then. So, not only does this new addition do the same, it does a good job at reminding folks none of those issues have gone away. 

The trailer already lets fans of the franchise know that Anthony is the same Anthony the titular character abducts in the original film, so we’re not spoiling anything for you there. However, even if the original film is before your time, this one does a good job of catching the audience up on the history as Anthony learns about it himself. Along the way, there are some pretty gruesome murders that should make fans happy that Candyman is still gory when he kills those dumb enough to summon him.

Not enough horror lately has been made about the threat not seen. It seems some films lately will spend thousands to produce jump scares and visuals of people making creepy faces that a good story in horror has been as absent as the Candyman franchise has been. If you’ve been counting, it’s been almost 22 years since a Candyman film has been made. 

Tony Todd as Candyman 1992

You will get to see Candyman in this film, with glimpses of him as it progresses to the grand finale but without spoiling anything for you, this film will get folks saying Candyman’s name again and hopefully we get more of the same quality.