Candyman, written by Oscar winner Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld and Nia DaCosta is the sequel of the cult Bernard Rose directorial of the same name from the year 1992. The original, penned by Bernard, was inspired from the supernatural horror short story The Forbidden by Clive Barker.
Director Nia DaCosta’s version of the Candyman takes forward the premise of the earlier narrative, however, makes it her spin-off of the same. The film revolves around the residents of Cabrini Green neighbourhood in Chicago, who have for long been stricken with fear, of the eerie narrative about a killer, who wreaks havoc with a hook in his hand. The story, which initially seemed to have just a mythical existence, later gains life, through the inquiry of artist Anthony McCoy, who unravels the truth behind Candyman’s mysterious disappearance in the old story.
Anthony shifts to a new apartment along with girlfriend Brianna Cartwright, who is a gallery director, and as fate would have it, the house is in the same location Cabrini. A lot has changed since the supposedly true incident happened, with the boom of technology in the backdrop. Anthony chances upon someone, who has been there in Cabrini all along, and opens the door of the reality from the past. His brush with this old-timer brings alive uncertainties, fears and truth behind the identity of candyman that he shouldn’t have been tainted and there could have been another side to the story.
The protagonist then ventures out on a quest through his art in his studio, not realising the stage was getting set for him to be engulfed in the menacing world. The candyman could be easily summoned by anyone, who has the courage to call his name five times looking at the mirror. Whether anyone will have the daring to take his name and solve the mystery forms the rest of the story.
The sequel has a reference to its original, when a character utters, ‘Candyman isn’t a he, Candyman is a whole damn hive’. The new Candyman is at the same time cast in the contemporary scenario and implies at the systemic racial violence and mobilised injustice, with Black Lives Matter movement becoming the writing on the wall in the true sense of the word.
An icing on the cake is the legendary role of Tony Todd, touted to be reprised by the actor himself, which has already had fans go gaga over his performance and the sheer magic in his voice.
The film, saw its release postponed three times from the original date in June 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic, and is finally expected to release on August 27 this year.
