Review of Candyman (1992) by Björn B — 03 Oct 2010
Though silliness creeps in eventually and possibly the only thing that will have you screaming in the second half is the hapless Virginia Madsen's propensity for self incrimination, I would say that the first fifty or so minutes of Candyman represent the high-water mark of Nineties mainstream US horror, better even than the first quarter of an hour of Wes Craven's Scream.
Madsen is superb as the graduate student researching urban legends who stumbles upon a hook-handed bogeyman terrorising the projects of Chicago, and director Bernard Rose creates a terrifically oppressive atmosphere.
Yes, it's easy enough to pick holes in the plot - who, for instance, do the police imagine was looking after the missing baby during the month that Madsen was heavily sedated in the mental hospital? - but this is still one of the smartest and most original horror movies of its era.
If the more conventional second half disappoints slightly, it's only because the first half is so good the movie couldn't possibly get any better.
This review of Candyman (1992) was written by Björn B on 03 Oct 2010.
Candyman has generally received positive reviews.
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