“Hocus Pocus 2”: Breaking the 29 Years of Silence

After 29 years of silence, “Hocus Pocus 2” made its debut. While many of the original cast members were not included in the second movie, the actresses for Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy) remained the same. 

Many people were skeptical of the movie’s plot leading up to its release date. People loved the first Hocus Pocus and didn’t want their love for the movie to be ruined. 

What’s New?

“Hocus Pocus 2” is similar to the first movie, as it focuses on the Sanderson Sisters attempting to regain their powers. The Sanderson Sisters were revived on Halloween night once more to fulfill their dreams of achieving their maximum powers. However, things take a complicated turn when high school students Becca and Izzy light a candle in their sacred space. The girls have to battle with the Sanderson Sisters for control of the Magical Book, which reveals an unknown aspect of Becca’s life. 

One section of “Hocus Pocus 2” that caught viewers’ attention was the inclusion of the Sanderson Sisters’ past. It showed glimpses of their childhood and what Salem was like during the 1650s. Whether or not these new inclusions and plotlines were good is unclear: according to Rotten Tomatoes, there were some mixed reviews of the movie. The movie received only a 51% Audience Score and a 63% from the Tomatometer.

Reviews of the Movie

Many people are conflicted on their opinions about “Hocus Pocus 2” and how they thought it would compare to the first one. After watching Hocus Pocus 2, Jaydyn Winter (‘26) said, “I liked it but it’s as if they copied and pasted many scenes from the original movie into the new one. The dancing scene was practically the same as the first movies.” 

I asked Winter what she thought about the casting situation, and whether or not she liked it. Winter responded with “I was kind of hoping there would be some of the original cast. However, I didn’t mind the cast that they had. It was still entertaining.” 

Likewise, some people haven’t even watched the second movie and don’t plan on watching it. They say that they have heard too many negative things, or that they don’t think that the second movie will be as good as the first movie. 

Some people were very harsh with their criticisms of the movie. Some people say they disliked the dancing scene in the second movie, as it incorporated a well-known song “One Way or Another” by Blondie. Others were very upset by the lack of the original cast, some refusing to watch it for this reason. 

While some people are on the edge with their opinions, the movie alone has had some high reviews. Since its debut on Disney+, it has sparked conversations around the globe. People are saying that nothing could beat the original and that the second one doesn’t come close to comparing with the first one. While people are saying that they do like it, they can’t see themselves watching it as often as they do with the original movie, due to it having a weaker backstory. 

In correlation with the first movie, my opinion of the “Hocus Pocus” movies has remained steady. While I agree with the comments made by Winter, I also think that the directors did a good job with the overall movie. I feel as though there were a couple scenes where “Hocus Pocus 2” lagged behind compared to the first one, likewise, there were scenes that went above and beyond compared to the first “Hocus Pocus.” The overall quality of “Hocus Pocus 2” was phenomenal. It was able to capture the original storyline from the first movie, while adding interesting twists to the Sanderson Sisters background, which was greatly appreciated. Since “Hocus Pocus” was one of my favorite movies growing up, I held the second one to a high standard, and the producers met my expectations.