Candyman (2021) - An Interesting Horror Gem

Candyman

"Candyman" has been a long-awaited movie for me. The trailers looked interesting enough, but after seeing "Us" and "Get Out," my staunch respect and admiration for Jordan Peele's work were steadfast. "Candyman" ended up being a solid film, and maybe that's slightly disappointed me. Peele has made such incredible films, and "Candyman" wasn't as good as the rest of his work. However, "Candyman" is still a great film, and I loved its style. Nia DaCosta's directing was a breath of fresh air. The colors and composition are just gorgeous to watch. The movie has horror elements, but it's a slower build-up than some might want. I liked looking at "Candyman" from an experience perspective rather than as a meaty story like Peele often gives us. I had to change my expectations for what the film would be. DaCosta's directing is just much more atmospheric than Peele's, and it makes "Candyman" a unique film indeed. I loved the rampant building of tension from DaCosta. It helps she gave us some HAUNTING shots that stuck with me long after the movie was over. Robert Aki Aubrey Lowe aided a ton as well with her score. It was one of my favorite scores of the year. 

Where I think the movie faults, unfortunately, is the script. Peele is usually great at themes around race, but I felt it got muddled amongst the rest of the story. Peele's stories are so clean and thought out. It is disappointing that "Candyman" doesn't feel as solid. The movie does get jumbled in what it wants to be and the overall "Candyman story and lore," while grabbing in moments, is not always executed in the best way possible. It's largely thanks to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II that you don't always completely lose interest. He did a good job keeping you interested in the story.

"Candyman" never fully reaches its potential, but it's a true gem nonetheless. Nia DaCosta has directed a beautiful film with a great score. Peele's script is messy at times but never fails to intrigue. It's not as great as it could be, but I found it to be a fascinating film and one I think people should give a shot.

Solid Recommend 

8/10

- Noah Newcomb

Candyman (2021) Trailer