Horror icons never die. That's basically the premise of most horror movies, and especially their sequels. In recent years, with attempted reboots of everything from Friday the 13th to A Nightmare on Elm Street, we've seen popular film characters return from the dead again and again. While Candyman might not be among the absolute titans of horror when it comes to popularity, the character built a franchise of his own. Now, just like the rest, he's back to terrorize once more.
So is the new Candyman from director Nia DaCosta a worthy next chapter in this legacy? Most critics say yes, but at the end of the day, it's the fans that really matter, especially now when ticket sales are so vitally important for theatrical releases. Here's what the fans really think of the new Candyman.
Candyman is Good, But Maybe Not That Scary?
At the end of the day, when most people go to see a horror movie, they want to be scared. They want to see things that would terrify them in reality, but from the safety of a movie theater. If you're deathly afraid of bees, then Candyman probably scared the hell out of you back in the day. And there are certainly some fans who think this new installment is going to be keeping them awake at night for some time to come.
However, not everybody agrees that Candyman is as terrifying as they might have wanted it to be. While there seems to be strong support for the movie as a whole, there are actually many who say it just wasn't that scary. Many of the other elements of great horror movies are there, to be sure. Horror is also often a place for social commentary, and Candyman seems to clearly have that, according to many fans. But ultimately, the success of those other elements may have been at the expense of the scares.
Of course, not everybody is going to be in complete agreement, and there are certainly those who think the scares weren't the only thing that was lacking. Some are of the opinion that the whole just doesn't quite equal the sum of its parts, with some elements that work and others that don't. So the complete film ends up feeling a bit disjointed.
There may be a few things about Candyman that don't work, but there's little argument that one elements works perfectly.
Everybody Loves Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta directed and co-wrote Candyman, and there is a lot of love for DaCosta from those who have seen it. Calling a horror movie "beautiful" is not something you often hear, but that's what's happening with Candyman. Fans of the franchise who may not have been familiar with the director previously are singing her praises.
Singing her praises is seen as very important. In the lead up to Candyman's release, Jordan Peele's name was used a lot to promote Candyman. He did co-write the film, but he's also a more "bankable" name than DaCosta, which meant she tended to get overlooked. Now people want to make sure that Nia DaCosta gets the credit she deserves for the film that she made. People may be afraid to say Candyman's name in a mirror, but many have been saying Nia DaCosta's name in the last week.
Clearly Nia DaCosta is an accomplished director in her own right, and a lot more people now recognize that. And that means people are that much more excited for whatever it is she's doing next. Hey, what is she doing next?
Fans Are Already Looking Forward To Nia DaCosta's Next Project
For better or worse, it's blockbusters that still make Hollywood go round, more specifically superhero movies. Long before Nia DaCosta's Candyman was seen by the public, she had already been confirmed as the director of The Marvels, the Captain Marvel follow-up film that will actually co-star Candyman's Teyonah Paris. If you thought these two worked well together in Candyman, who knows what they'll be able to do when Paris has superpowers.
On the one hand, it could be seen as something of a backhanded compliment that some who saw Candyman are already looking toward the next movie, another big budget superhero blockbuster, and not giving this smaller film enough time to shine. At the same time, there was clearly something about Candyman that struck people that makes them want to see this next franchise entry in the MCU. Few, if any people are saying they're now less interested in seeing The Marvels after seeing Candyman.
On the whole, folks seem to like Candyman. It's too soon to tell whether this reboot will spawn its own sequels, but it was the number one grossing movie on its opening weekend, and even under the circumstances, that's saying something.
