Review of Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) by Haravikk K — 11 Sep 2012

I found it strange that this film was so poorly rated compared to the original, as personally I'd say that both are roughly on par; that is, both are okay, but far from great.

This film makes a far better attempt at Candyman's backstory, and doesn't portray *all* of the police involved as complete idiots, though it's not much of an improvement. The bulk of the film is however a typical bloody horror romp with cheap scares, bad writing, and characters you don't give a damn about, resulting in it being more a relief when they're cut down in droves and you don't have to see them again.

Some story elements do however redeem it, and personally I feel they elevate it above the first film; the kid haunted by visions of the Candyman and the teacher struggling to work with a community overshadowed by a horrifying urban legend that turns out to have close ties to the horrors endured by her own family make for a more interesting and tighter plot, even if it still isn't great. Significant elements are carbon-copied from the first film, to the formula of the main character saying "Candyman" too many times and finding themselves the subject of the eponymous villain's twisted affections for the remainder of the film.

Personally I'd recommend this instalment over the first for anyone new to the series, as the basic plot is essentially the same, but with less conflicting elements and some better handling of the urban legend.