Review: Candyman (2021)

Candyman (2021) runs as a direct sequel to the 1992 Original while expanding the Robitaille lore, writer-director Nia DaCosta's (2018's Little Woods) slasher feature and gory nightmare will seep through your bones.

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If you have not seen the original Candyman, I advise you to pause this review and go watch it before you see the newest film. Now, the reason for that is because the newest Candyman runs as a direct sequel to the original, helping provide more knowledge into the story's backbone. DaCosta does change up some past history slightly, to add more depth to her characters. The 1992 horror film is based on Clive Barker's short story "The Forbidden." In the first film, we follow a Chicago graduate student named Helen (Virginia Madsen), who's working on a thesis about urban legends and folklore. During Helen's research, she discovers the legend of the "Candyman" (the great Tony Todd) and his connection to a series of murders in Chicago's Cabrini–Green Homes. As the legend goes, the Candyman (Daniel Robitaille) was murdered in the late 19th century for having an interracial relationship with the daughter of a wealthy white man.

The Candyman was an African American artist and the son of a slave. After word of the affair got out, the Candyman was brutally murdered by a white mob. Now, if you say his name five times in the mirror, he will reappear and kill you. Director DaCosta gives us an entire recap of what happened to Helen's fate in the original, shown through some beautiful sequences of shadow puppetry (designed by Manual Cinema). Running as a "spiritual sequel," DaCosta's latest Candyman explores the intersection of white violence and Black pain. We follow Chicago artist Anthony McCoy (an excellent Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who — like Helen — becomes obsessed with the Candyman legend. Now that Cabrini–Green has been torn down, DaCosta creatively infuses racial themes with bloody horror. Like in the original film, which constructed a plate of social commentary, DaCosta takes her picture even further. Shown through visual splendor, pitch-black humor, and misdirection, DaCosta keeps her viewers guessing what's lurking from around the corner.

Jordan Peele (Get Out and Us) also worked as a co-writer and producer for this bloody horror film, but it's DaCosta's tightly constructed craft that stands out. Though this is not a perfect picture — I felt it needed a longer runtime, and parts seemed a bit messy — 2021's Candyman still delivers its relevant message loud and clear. Other great actors that contributed to this film include Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo, Kyle Kaminsky, and Vanessa Williams. DaCosta's horror flick also delivers a pretty striking twist halfway through the movie, which I dare not spoil. I will say that this twist compliments itself better if you have already seen the original. For far too long, residents of Chicago's Cabrini-Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand. In the end, just say his name. I dare you. I'll start, "Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candy—"

Candyman is rated R (Restricted) Language | Bloody Horror Violence | Some Sexual References.

Directed by Nia DaCosta

Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo, Kyle Kaminsky, and Vanessa Williams.