Candyman
Candyman
Candyman
Candy….
Actually, I wouldn’t recommend doing this, even though the legend was created with the original movie, I never suggest Ouija boards, or saying Bloody Mary in the mirror either.
Speaking of Bloody Mary, the urban legend Candyman, is a creation that was inspired by other very well-known Urban Legends. Bloody Mary, as I mentioned, you are dared to say her name 3 times in the mirror. So too is the dare for Candyman. The second legend inspiring this particular villain is “Hook Man”. As legend has it, when 2 youngsters are parked in a car, doing what teenagers do, a mental patient escapee with a hook for a hand comes after the teens. This villain has a hook for a hand inspiring the weapon of choice for the Candyman.
Director Nia DaCosta also has cited Nightmare on Elm Street 2, and The Fly as influence. The Fly for its body horror/ transformation elements.
Now, don’t worry, if you haven’t seen the original Candyman (Clive Barker, 1992), you don’t have to watch it to follow this “reboot”. However, it would behoove you to watch it, as it is considered a horror legend.
Director: Nia Da Costa
Screenplay: Jordan Peele (actor in Get Out & writer for Us), Win Rosenfeld and Nia DaCosta
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy – up and coming artist (Watchman, and young Morpheus in the upcoming Matrix Resurrections),
Teyonah Parris as Anthony’s girlfriend Brianna Cartwright, an art curator (Wanda Vision and Mad Men),
Nathan Steward-Jarrett Troy Cartwright, Colman Domingo as William Burke
Cameo: Tony Todd (original Candyman)
Rating: R
(Currently on Demand on multiple platforms as well as still in theatres)
Admittedly, I wasn’t / am not a huge fan of the ’92 Candyman, but I do respect if for it being an icon in the horror genre. So, I went into this new reboot with lower-than-normal expectations, which was not at all necessary.
The rundown: In Chicago, is a newly developed area in “Cabrini Greens”, where the original story took place in Chicago’s ‘slums’, developed into a much nicer, high-rise condo / multi-amenity community. All that is left of the original Cabrini Greens is part of an abandoned affordable-housing area. Our main character’s lives revolve around the art world, Anthony, a struggling artist, catches wind of the story of Candyman, and heads to what remains of Cabrini Green for some artistic inspiration to help his ‘artist block’. His girlfriend, who curates an art gallery, shows his new work which is highlights the legend as it is, encouraging / daring viewers to call “his” name 5 times in the mirror. Of course, initially just a unique artistic lure of the artwork, Anthony doesn’t realize what he has unleashed back into the world, and… people start dying.
It seems quite often, you can tell pretty quickly if a horror movie will be good or not so good. The intro is important to grab viewers and you’ll immediately notice, acting, story line, and computer animated graphics. With Candyman, we could tell that the script was well written, and the cast selected fittingly, and the scares, are really, really well done. And of course, there is gore!
One of the points to why I didn’t like the original was it didn’t scare me, (as a lover of the paranormal, the sincerely scary, and more ‘not seen’ than seen) with respect, the original Candyman was too ‘real’ (if-you-will) rather than a supernatural entity, and the bees… just didn’t do it for me, I know, I know, Tony Todd did some crazy things for that movie... This new installment, however, injects Candyman to the movie in such a way that he IS a supernatural being (as he should be!). The manner in which Candyman is ‘summoned’ and then attacks is very successful in keeping you on the edge of your seat, shaking in your shoes.
With a lot of reboots, the new storytelling sweeps aside everything that has come beforehand. I felt another successful component of Candyman 2021 is the melding of old story into the new story. The writers Peele, Rosenfeld and DaCosta were smart in how they integrated the story from the first film, utilizing it as backstory for their reboot.
Candyman ’21, running just over 90 minutes, has some unexpected twists and turns, the story is enough of a departure from the original, but honors Clive Barkers Candyman, and the acting is also note-worthy. There is also a unique way in which storytelling happens within this movie which works very well given the fact this movie is grounded in the art scene, I’ll leave that to you to discover!
Most movies, including our faved horror genre, contains underlying social topics, some are more ‘hidden’ and others up front and easy to see. Candyman hits you squarely in the face with the subject of racial injustices, the original Candyman myth itself is originates with racism. I like the fact that Jordan Peele just puts it out there. He can put humor into what is a very serious subject. For instance… who are the dummies that are actually taking up this Candyman dare? White people, the other characters in this movie that are black, respond with “FUCK NO” don’t stand in front of that mirror and say his name, what are you dumb?
It’s a trope that he works well with, and he makes you laugh appropriately at certain ideas within the seriousness of the topic. And this all being acceptable within this genre, cause it’s otherwise faux pas to address such topics in other genres.
In researching this movie, I went to the website candymanmovie.com has links for a Social Impact Initiative and provides links to black artists that are featured in the film and other notable and up and coming artists. It’s a great way to utilize this movie to build awareness to the social initiative. https://www.candymanmovie.com/impact/whats-the-buzz/
REESE'S PIECES RATING of Candyman 2021
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