Considering the ways in which it has been dominating the Halloween season in recent years, it’s hard to imagine that the original Hocus Pocus initially earned an underwhelming reaction from audiences. However, hitting theaters in the summer didn’t do the spooky effort any favors, nor did debuting in the weeks following Jurassic Park’s cinematic domination worldwide. Luckily, the film’s frequent broadcasts on the Disney Channel and growing home video markets allowed the film to find its audience over the years, and now that this audience has started having kids of their own, each year sees the film’s popularity only grow more passionate, to the point that we even get a sequel. Hocus Pocus 2 feels like catching up with old friends in all the best ways, reminding you of the emotional connection you have to the on-screen personalities and the many hours spent with them, but once that charm wears off, you forget why you reunited with them in the first place.
