Where to watch Candyman
3 1/2 Stars
In present day, many years after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence.
Jordan Peele and his collaborators, director Nia DaCosta and co-writer Win Rosenfeld, have created a spiritual sequel to the 1992 original film. There have been two previous sequels produced (first in 1995, then again in 1999), but this new movie erases those subpar follow-ups and proclaims itself as a true legacy sequel. The (frankly amazing) thing is that the filmmakers have been able to recapture the suspense and sorrowful tone of the Bernard Rose-helmed Candyman (1992). That is no small task, and The Candyman is a tricky property to get right, as evidenced by those aforementioned sequels, and the casting of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a perfect choice.
The Candyman franchise was undone by a lack of care from producers who tried to turn the titular villain into a Freddy Kruger or Jason Vorhees-type figure. The first movie made him a complex and unnerving presence who haunts an area that is already dangerous and full of despair. These elements, which were subverted in the latter films, have been fully restored here, and Candyman (2021) is all the better because of it. Outside of a few loose plot strings, nobody questions the death of an art critic when the lead character was in her apartment moments before. This is a strongly written, acted, and produced movie that will give you both chills and things to talk about on the drive home.
Directed by: Nia DaCosta
Written by: Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett