Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Hocus Pocus 2

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Campy but entertaining sequel has some violence, scares.

Movie PG 2022 103 minutes
Hocus Pocus 2 Movie Poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 47 parent reviews

Teacher Mom
Teacher Mom Parent of 14 and 18+-year-old
September 30, 2022
age 9+

Disappointed

Being such a fan of the original Hocus Pocus, I was extremely excited for the sequel. My daughters (14 & 18) actually wanted to have a movie night with mom to watch this movie. All 3 of us were disappointed. By the way, I am 45 just so you know all of our ages. It started out ok showing the sisters as children, but the storyline from that point on just went downhill. The characters were all lacking in confidence and just strength as characters. Billy and the book were better characters than any of the others including the Sanderson sisters. The storyline was awful and gave the audience nothing to follow and nothing to root for! I kept waiting for the story to get good and it just never did. My 14 year old wanted more of the original characters to come back and be part of the story and my 18 year old was wanting Binx at least. I only gave 2 stars out of respect for the original, but honestly this sequel really deserves 0 stars. The music was also very disappointing! I apologize for giving such a bad review and I appreciate the effort in trying to make a sequel to this amazing original story. I appreciate BM, SJP, she KN for all coming back for this sequel. I wish I had more positive things to say.
25 people found this helpful.
dsamaniego87
dsamaniego87 Adult
October 2, 2022
age 14+

What a Disappointment

Waited 29 years for this movie! What a disappointmemt from Disney! Childhood memories ruined!
16 people found this helpful.
See all 47 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After lighting the Black Flame Candle in HOCUS POCUS 2, high school besties Becca and Izzy (Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo) accidentally conjure up the Sanderson Sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy), bringing the 17th century's most notorious group of child-hungry witches back to present-day Salem. To remain alive and beautiful, the witches need young blood, but their pursuit of the teenagers is sidetracked when they discover that the local mayor (Tony Hale) is a descendant of their historical nemesis. The mayor is also father to Becca and Izzy's childhood friend, Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), putting her life at risk as well. The teens band together to stop the evil sisters before dawn on All Hallow's Eve, and they'll learn what they're capable of -- alone and with their "coven" -- in the process.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (47 ):
Kids say (24 ):

It's always a relief when a sequel doesn't let down the legions of fans of a cult original, and in this case, the new film surpasses its predecessor in entertainment value. Hocus Pocus 2 plays to its followers with some references to the 1993 original, but you certainly don't have to have seen that film to enjoy this one, and the addition of modern-day teenagers could help draw in new followers. They might appreciate the feminist undertones, the dull-witted football boyfriend (deemed the "village idiot" by the Sandersons), and the present-day jokes involving technology like Alexa, Roomba, and the gazillion elixirs of the "youth and beauty industry."

Peak is especially good as the leader of the teen pack (Hocus Pocus 3 material?), Hale is always a delight, and Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham makes a glorious cameo as the "Witch Mother." But the real star here is Midler. She corrals her clueless sisters and steals the spotlight at every turn. "I bet you're looking for a stage," a character asks her as the sisters stumble upon a drag costume contest of, you got it, the Sanderson Sisters. "Always," she purrs, before breaking into song and dance and hypnotizing the townspeople into a zombie-like flash mob to do her bidding. This film tones down some of the cringier aspects of the original (like Parker's dumb blonde act) but keeps the camp, and even adds a touchingly emotional farewell (again, via Midler). And somehow, these "gothic Golden Girls" still look the same as they did 29 years ago. The blood of children must really work.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Hocus Pocus 2 compares to the original, if you've seen it. What are some of the benefits and risks of making a sequel to a popular film?

  • What do Becca, Izzy, and Cassie learn from the Sanderson sisters? What do the sisters learn from the teenagers?

  • What were the Salem witch trials? Where could you go for more information?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate