Candyman (2021) - Lame remake with forced social statements - 3/10 (17/09/21)

Candyman is horror movie remake with forced social commentary that bores from start to finish.

First of all, the plot line isn't particularly intriguing. The story is very predictable, the minor twists and turns are unconvincing and there is a surprising lack of atmospheric and scary passages.

The acting performances remain unconvincing as well. Lead actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is lacking charisma and doesn't manage to make viewers empathize with his character at all.

The forced social commentary is getting more absurd as the movie progresses. The movie tries to be on the pulse of time but feels stiff, stereotypical and conservative in its desperate attempt to appeal to contemporary woke culture. The idea that Candyman eventually becomes a superhero that fights police violence and corruption is certainly bold but completely unfitting with everything that entity has done before in the movie.

At the end of the day, one might give the film a few points for walking off the beaten path with its social commentary but that sociopolitical component makes the film tough to digest. As a horror movie, this film isn't even remotely scary and very few scenes manage to evoke tense atmosphere. I like many works of screenplay writer Jordan Peele such as Get Out and Us but Candyman must be considered a disappointment.