Too much social commentary, not enough horror (or suspense). Easily the least impressive Peele production.

some things of note because i've made it a habit to point out things that half-assed critiques get wrong before saying what i actually think about a film: 1. this was not directed by jordan peele. he produced it. nia da costa directed it, and it has very much the same feel as her overall body of work. comparing this to get out and us is unfair to both peele and da costa. 2. the original candyman was a social commentary as well. a lot of slasher flicks are social commentaries with regard to topics aside from historical racism like disabilities, socioeconomic disparity, and mental illness. if you don't like social commentary in your horror? your horror options are pretty limited. 3. my advice is always this: if you can't enjoy a movie because it tackles subjects of inequality and oppression, then that's a you problem. it's a problem worth working through, all the same. anyway, i loved this. so glad it was my first movie in theaters again since the pandemic started, it was highly worth it. the score was unsettling and stressful in just the right way, and fuck if the progression of the bee sting wasn't the most disgusting thing i'd ever seen. also: those of you who get really grossed out by trypophobia might want to avert your eyes a little in the church scene. the pattern is uniform, not irregular, but it's still real fucking weird.

There is no point in turning a story that already had racial components into a silly representation of BLM. Candyman killed to avoid being forgotten, but now kills for racial revenge, which simplifies the depth of the proposal. Nia Dacosta's forceful directing and Robert Aiki's extraordinary electroacoustic soundtrack elevate the quality of a film that sacrifices the horror in favor of a simplistic racial view.

I was looking forward to this movie... Sadly enough they turned it into a "White people are bad and racist, Kill all white people! Black Lives Matter!!!" movie. Some characters are very unlikeable and the acting is often really bad. Horrible movie and a waste of time.