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Hocus Pocus 2

Hocus Pocus 2

Team reviewed
1h 44m2022United States of America
FantastiqueComédieFamilial

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Detailed parental analysis

Hocus Pocus 2 is a fantastical Halloween comedy with a light, festive atmosphere, tinged with a few deliberately exaggerated thrills. The film follows three young teenage girls who must confront the return of three resurrected witches to protect their town. It is clearly aimed at children from around ten years old and those nostalgic for the original 1993 film, without attempting to appeal to a younger or more adult audience.

Underlying Values

Violence remains within the bounds of family fantasy: pursuits involving magical lightning bolts, supernatural apparitions and moments of fear designed to trigger amused surprise rather than genuine fright. The presence of a decapitated zombie constitutes the most prominent element: it is treated in a comic and absurd register, but its nature may disorient younger or more sensitive children regarding images of mutilation, even when stylised. No realistic physical violence or bloody consequences are shown. The narrative purpose of these elements is clearly that of Halloween entertainment, without seeking to make a lasting impression.

Violence

Violence remains within the bounds of family fantasy: pursuits involving magical lightning bolts, supernatural apparitions and moments of fear designed to trigger amused surprise rather than genuine fright. The presence of a decapitated zombie constitutes the most prominent element: it is treated in a comic and absurd register, but its nature may disorient younger or more sensitive children regarding images of mutilation, even when stylised. No realistic physical violence or bloody consequences are shown. The narrative purpose of these elements is clearly that of Halloween entertainment, without seeking to make a lasting impression.

Language

The film contains a few mild blasphemous phrases, integrated into the comic register, as well as a reference to virginity that arises in a scene where a child innocently asks what the word means. The treatment is modest and non-explanatory, but the situation may open an unexpected conversation depending on the age and maturity of the child viewer. No truly crude language or severe insults are to be noted.

Strengths

The film functions primarily as an object of transmission between generations of fans: rediscovering the original trio of witches provides genuine pleasure of recognition for parents who grew up with the first instalment. The pace is brisk, the Halloween settings are well-crafted, and a few musical sequences recall the burlesque energy that made the original so charming. The relationship between the three teenage girls is written with a certain warmth, and the film avoids artificial conflict to better emphasise the value of female friendship. However, the writing lacks boldness: the gags rely too often on references to the contemporary world that date quickly and that throw off children too young to grasp them. The film remains an honest distraction without memorable depth.

Age recommendation and discussion points

The film is suitable from age 10 onwards for a serene viewing experience, with 8 to 9 year-olds able to access it with a parent available to comment on the decapitated zombie and religious references. Two discussion angles are worth pursuing after viewing: why the witches appear less truly wicked than in the first film, and what this changes in the way we judge them; and what it means that it is teenage girls, rather than adults, who save the community by uniting.

Synopsis

29 years since the Black Flame Candle was last lit, the 17th-century Sanderson sisters are resurrected, and they are looking for revenge. Now it's up to three high school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow's Eve.

About this title

Format
Feature film
Year
2022
Runtime
1h 44m
Countries
United States of America
Original language
EN
Directed by
Anne Fletcher
Main cast
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froy Gutierrez, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Tony Hale
Studios
Walt Disney Pictures, Weimaraner Republic Pictures, David Kirschner Productions

Content barometer

  • Violence
    2/5
    Moderate
  • Fear
    2/5
    A few scenes
  • Sexuality
    1/5
    Allusions
  • Language
    1/5
    Mild
  • Narrative complexity
    3/5
    Complex
  • Adult themes
    0/5
    None

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Values conveyed