As the world slowly opens, a common pastime we are all looking forward to is getting back to the theater with buttery popcorn, sitting in the cushy front row seats (socially distanced of course) and being able to enjoy the newest box office hits on the big screen. At the top of the watchlist is “Candyman,” the sequel to the 1992 cult-classic thriller of the same name. The film was directed by Nia DaCosta, who was able to preserve the core themes while making the film relatable for newer audiences. DaCosta also made headlines as she became the first Black woman to have a movie debut #1 at the U.S. box office. The main cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Aquaman,” “Us”), Teyonah Parris (“If Beale Street Could Talk,” “WandaVision”), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (“Misfits,” “Utopia”) and Colman Domingo (“Fear of the Walking Dead,” “Lincoln,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”). Along with Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld and Ian Cooper, DaCosta produced a well-written contemporary film that highlighted Black generational pain and also touched on the current issue of gentrification within America.
The story follows Anthony McCoy, a relatable and struggling artist on the brink of a washed-up career, who is tediously waiting for his creative spark to reawaken. He is supported by his girlfriend, Brianna Cartwright, a gallery director who is encouraging him along the way. After a late-night dinner with family filled with sarcastic gander, a harrowing serial killer myth and another reminder of who keeps the lights on in their new apartment, Anthony begins a journey to find his new muse. He lands in remnants of Cabrini Green, the projects that are being replaced by upscale apartments, and a bougie Whole Foods Market. That is where he learns the story of the original Candyman, his many reincarnations and the infamous phrase, “Say Candyman five times and he appears.” This horrific myth turns into reality for Anthony because he feels a familiar connection to the yellow-coated legend, and the deeper he digs, the shallower his own notion of self becomes as he starts to mirror the one in the mirror.
What truly resonated with me while watching this film was the generational trauma that is often looked down upon in society. When Anthony learns of the original Candyman Daniel Robitaille’s origin story and how his death inspired this legend, you can see the parallels of excessive violence that harms Black bodies. It happens again when William Burke sees Sherman Fields get brutally murdered as a child and at the end of the film when Brianna has to watch Anthony get shot multiple times. Candyman for Cabrini Green is a symbol of suffering and pain, but, as the story progresses, we see the gentrification of the legend itself. The teenagers in the film think of it as another spooky game, disregarding its deeper context, which leads to their demise.
Gentrification negatively affects the Cabrini Green residents, and they are forced out of places where their trauma occurs with no chance to process it. High-income individuals move into low-income areas which displaces the current inhabitants. Affluent businesses and new housing are being developed which attracts fake “woke” people who parade their “equality for all” signs and highlight informational infographics about civil rights on Instagram but can’t recognize how their actions add to the recurring issue at hand.
As a certified wimp who is forced to watch horror movies by her friends, this movie wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. The thought provoking plot had my eyes stuck to the screen as each scene became more intentional than the first and, in the end, made me realize how often history repeats itself.