‘Candyman’ a terrifying, tense thriller

In 1992, horror fans were introduced to the iconic Candyman in the movie simply titled ‘Candyman.’ The horror feature became a small surprise hit and garnered a cult following for many years. Ultimately, the 1992 movie spawned two DVD sequels that have received mixed reactions.

Now, you can catch the new ‘Candyman’ on the big screen right here in town and chant ‘Candyman’ five times if you dare. Oh, and, by the way, it’s a really great scary ride.

In the Universal/MGM scare-fest, for as long as residents can remember, the housing projects 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, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror. In the present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, visual artist Anthony McCoy and his partner, gallery director Brianna Cartwright, move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified beyond recognition. With Anthony’s painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini-Green old-timer exposes Anthony to a tragically horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman.

Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.

‘Candyman’ is a smart and chilling continuation of the cult-favorite horror series. The horror film really does an incredible job delivering the thrills and the suspense. There are numerous moments throughout the movie that are absolutely chilling.

The new take of ‘Candyman’ also dives into the mythology of the Candyman story, which makes it even more interesting and frightening. Sure, there is a “bit” of gore in the movie, but this movie’s scares are really effective and puts the franchise into a whole new direction.

There are also a few parts that pay homage to the original 1992 movie. This haunting reboot/sequel connects to the original quite well and does an amazing job at the end to potentially keep the series going. So, if you’re in the mood for some good scares, then make sure to catch ‘Candyman’ at the Dietrich. The cast: Yahya Abdul Marteen II (Trial of the Chicago 7) as Anthony McCoy; Teyonah Parris (WandaVision) as Brianna Cartwright; Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Kid Who Would Be King) as Troy Cartwright; Colman Domingo (Without Remorse) as William Burke; Kyle Kaminsky as Grady Greenberg; Brian King (Widows) as Clive Privler; Miriam Moss as Jerrica Cooper; Rebecca Spence as Finley Stephen; Michael Hargrove as Sherman Fields and Vanessa Williams reprising her ‘Candyman’ role as Anne-Marie McCoy — along with another familiar face to the series (not going to spoil it).

‘Candyman’ is written by Jordan Peele (Us; Get Out) (also produced), Win Rosenfeld and Nia DaCosta and also directed by DaCosta.

A theatrical continuation of the franchise has been in development for many years. One of the possible continuations was a possible ‘Candyman vs. Leprechaun’ crossover, in response to the success of ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (which didn’t go far in development).

Filmmaker Jordan Peele began talks to produce a sequel in September 2018. Principal photography took place between August and September 2019 in the Chicago area.

Reviews for the horror flick are really positive and grossed an estimated $22.4 million domestically, exceeding expectations.

‘Candyman’ is rated R for bloody horror violence, and language including some sexual references and has a running time of 91 minutes.