Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- playful
- theatrical
- mischievous
- halloween night
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film harmlessly hokey and visually stylish in spots, but muddled, mediocre, and unable to fully exploit its talented cast.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The action unfolds on Halloween night and repeatedly uses trick-or-treating, costumes, and seasonal imagery as story elements.
Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson are played as flamboyant, bickering performers, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy driving the comic energy.
Max, Dani, and Allison form an improvised team to protect their town and stop the Sanderson sisters within one night.
The film begins with the Sanderson sisters' execution for dark witchcraft in 1693 Salem before reintroducing them through comic fantasy in 1993.
Films like Hocus Pocus, and why
The Witches
family-friendly supernatural comedy with mischievous witches, Halloween atmosphere, and playful magical peril
Casper
1990s family fantasy comedy combining young protagonists, supernatural threats, and colorful comic performances
Halloweentown
Halloween-centered family comedy with youthful heroes, eccentric supernatural characters, and a cozy spooky tone
The Addams Family
ensemble fantasy comedy driven by comic female antagonists, magical mayhem, and theatrical performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Kenny Ortega
- Release Date
- 1993-07-16
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (3398)
Cast
- Omri Katz
- Thora Birch
- Vinessa Shaw
- Bette Midler
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Kathy Najimy
- Tobias Jelinek
- Larry Bagby
- Doug Jones
- Amanda Shepherd
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hocus Pocus about?
- A new kid, his little sister, and a friend race through Halloween night to stop three resurrected Salem witches from securing eternal life.
- What is Hocus Pocus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hocus Pocus as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Hocus Pocus violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hocus Pocus as mild.
- What did critics think of Hocus Pocus?
- Critics broadly found the film harmlessly hokey and visually stylish in spots, but muddled, mediocre, and unable to fully exploit its talented cast.
- Which films are like Hocus Pocus?
- Films with a similar feel include The Witches, Casper, Halloweentown, and The Addams Family.
- How long is Hocus Pocus?
- Hocus Pocus runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hocus Pocus?
- In United States, Hocus Pocus streams on Disney Plus.
