Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- playful
- witty
- nostalgic
- halloween night
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the sequel an effective but familiar burst of Halloween nostalgia, with the returning cast helping compensate for its derivative storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The returning Sanderson Sisters and renewed Salem Halloween conflict make continuity and audience nostalgia central to the film's appeal.
Becca, Izzy, and Cassie's friendship is set against Winifred, Mary, and Sarah's enduring sisterly bond.
The child-hungry Sanderson Sisters and their magic are presented through comic performance, songs, and light supernatural peril.
The film includes an earlier Salem-era glimpse connected to the Sanderson Sisters before returning to their modern resurrection.
Films like Hocus Pocus 2, and why
Hocus Pocus
family-friendly halloween fantasy with mischievous witches, comic supernatural peril, and nostalgic seasonal charm
The Witches
youth-centered halloween fantasy combining friendship, magic, comedy, and colorful supernatural adventure
The Haunted Mansion
family fantasy comedy featuring young protagonists confronting magical threats with playful holiday atmosphere
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
nostalgic disney fantasy comedy built around young friends, magic, and a lively seasonal setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Anne Fletcher
- Release Date
- 2022-09-27
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (1874)
Cast
- Bette Midler
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Kathy Najimy
- Whitney Peak
- Belissa Escobedo
- Lilia Buckingham
- Froy Gutierrez
- Sam Richardson
- Doug Jones
- Tony Hale
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hocus Pocus 2 about?
- Three Salem teenagers face a comic supernatural crisis when a magic candle resurrects the famously child-hungry Sanderson Sisters.
- What is Hocus Pocus 2 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hocus Pocus 2 as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Hocus Pocus 2 violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hocus Pocus 2 as mild.
- What did critics think of Hocus Pocus 2?
- Critics broadly found the sequel an effective but familiar burst of Halloween nostalgia, with the returning cast helping compensate for its derivative storytelling.
- Which films are like Hocus Pocus 2?
- Films with a similar feel include Hocus Pocus, The Witches, The Haunted Mansion, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
- How long is Hocus Pocus 2?
- Hocus Pocus 2 runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hocus Pocus 2?
- In United States, Hocus Pocus 2 streams on Disney Plus.
