Fans of the 1993 Halloween classic Hocus Pocus have been anxiously waiting for a sequel featuring the three kooky witches, Winifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson, to return to Salem, Massachusetts and run amuck once again.  

On Sept. 30, Disney made those wishes come true with Hocus Pocus 2; new adventures, twists, and unique characters both new and familiar, just in time for the Halloween season.  

I have been a fan of those three crazy witches since I’ve watched the first Hocus Pocus movie, and I was pretty excited for the sequel. If you were a fan of the classic movie, I would recommend watching this sequel, but some of your expectations might get shattered.  

If you have never seen the first, then it would be wise to watch the first movie prior to this sequel in order to have a better understanding. 

Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker reprise their roles of the infamous Sanderson sisters in their original, hilarious fashion as they try to manipulate Salem once again.  

Rather than encountering grown-up versions of the children from the original movie, the witches encounter new faces: three teenage girls who have a passion for the dark arts and a magician who has been a fan of the Sanderson Sisters since their return in 1993.  

The witches encounter many unique, modern adventures from possessing a community Halloween festival to dance in a flash mob to trying to understand the health and beauty aisle at Walgreens, while the teenagers try to prevent them from doing too much property damage.  

Hocus Pocus 2 is filled with more humor than its predecessor, which made me laugh almost every second. It even gave off a strong mystical vibe throughout, instead of the creepy vibe seen throughout most of the first. It offers a hint of the backstory of the origin of the Sanderson Sisters, which was an interesting detail that was missing in the first.  

The three witches are just as crazy as ever, and the new characters make the story appeal to a modern audience. 

However, it was a little difficult to identify a storyline or the witches’ motive. In the first movie, their motive is to kidnap and steal the lives of the children of Salem to make themselves live forever. They never steer away from this motive.  

In this sequel, it is confusing. They go from a desire to gain ultimate power, then to get revenge on the mayor of Salem, then back to ultimate power again, which makes it hard to identify the true motive.  

Also, the first movie had more suspense, while this one did not. I will say that the sequel is more lighthearted than the first because it puts its focus on emotional appeal and not suspense. The first had me on the edge of my seat, while the sequel made me laugh my face off and almost cry. I was never held in suspense while watching this.  

I enjoyed watching Hocus Pocus 2, but I believe that the first is better, as with the case of almost every sequel that exists. This could be the reason for many viewers as well, for Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 61% rating, and IMBD gave it three stars.  

I still think it is worth watching, especially if you are a fan of the Sanderson Sisters or the allure of witchcraft. Hocus Pocus 2 is available exclusively on Disney+ for streaming in addition to the original.