Candyman

Ten Second review: Poignant and excellently written, the film’s biggest sore point is the need of people to compare it to Jordan Peele’s previous films.

I love horror films. I always quite enjoyed good horror when I was a kid, but a few years back I worked at a publisher that released a lot of horror and thrillers. It was then that I expanded my love of the genre. The b-movies, the so-bad-it’s-good, the social criticism, the bone shuddering tension and so much more, horror as a genre is as deep as you’re willing to explore. There’s always something that will be new to you or some sub-genre you’re about to discover, and the community (generally) is excited to welcome you if you’re excited to join in.

There’s been a spate of horror writing in recent years that really feels like it comes from part of this broad community. There will always be films like Halloween, Pet Sematary or It that are well made and good films, but things like Ghost Stories, Censor or in this case Candyman, feel born of a love for this much wider remit of horror. Stylish, referential and poignant, they feel like they could have jumped  of a forum. This is not to say they always land consistently or are above criticism, but they feel sincerely made for and by a community of horror lovers.

Candyman is a reboot of sorts of a 1992 cult classic. We see artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), thanks n the cusp of breaking through into the mainstream but not quite knowing where to take his art next. When he learns of a string of crimes committed in a part of Chicago that is in the midst of being gentrified, he sees an opportunity for inspiration. What he finds will consume him in ways he could not imagine.

This film has so much to absolutely love about it. It’s not to say it never misses or that I agree with all the decisions they took when making it, but if you come out of cinemas (because, spoiler: I think you should see this film) not thinking about what it means and what you just saw, then you are either willingly blinding your self or you weren’t watching. 

The acting from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris and the supporting cast is excellent. From the lighter and funnier dialogue to the heavily introspective and dark, this cast delivers! The design of this film too, is just exciting. The way shots are laid out, the way settings are used as part of the storytelling and integral to the narrative. It’s a film built to be intriguing and to then be discussed while also telling a clear story. There is just enough room left for debate and discussion without in anyway sacrificing the clear messages the film has. 

The main negative is it feeling a touch long. I think I would have either preferred a few cuts to slim the film a little or a slightly longer film that caps of some of the narrative lines that maybe didn’t have enough time to explore.

The other negative is nothing that film does to itself but something that has been and is being done to it. Critics dubbing it “the best thing since Get Out” or equivalent sentiments like this I’ve seen popping up, don’t help the film. I would even argue they set it up to fail. Get Out is a great film, but Candyman is a different film. If you send people in with a comparison in mind and they leave not feeing it was as good as the comparison they were told to make, they may well feel negatively about a film they otherwise enjoyed. If you think people will enjoy the film or you think they should see it then say that. If you think Jordan Peele has “done it again” then say that.

Candyman was creepy, thought provoking and at points funny. It was beautiful to watch and interesting to discuss after, I highly recommend seeing it!