Reviews

I can't imagine a worse film than this gawdawful mess. It's not bad enough that this film fails on every level -- it also had to have the most annoying musical score of all time. Note to the producers: a terrible script is not improved by inserting the "F" word into every other sentence.

"It's the script, stupid!" So should the producers of this bomb have been reminded before allowing a single camera to roll.

Basic premise: the audience must empathise with the hero or heroine. We didn't--nothing compelled us to do so. The characters were so poorly developed that empathy was unlikely, at best.

While the cast is superb, their performances are anything but: to a person, each looked embarrassed to participate in this ill-conceived outing. Characterization? Forget it. The director makes no attempt to capture the essence of the cartoon. Where is Dudley's nasal-tenor voice? The inspector's high-tone speech pattern? Nell's ramrod-straight bearing? Snidely's CHIN, for Pete's sake??? (Molina's Snidely is the one almost-OK performance here. Pity that the addition of a moustache isn't enough to transform the moon-faced Molina into the Snidely we hoped to see.)

Skip this one, folks. It won't be hard to do: chances are that its theatrical life will be short indeed.

Given the cool reception this film received from the critics, I wasn't expecting much. What a surprise to find that Hocus Pocus is a Halloween delight! Characterizations are strong and distinct; plot is cleverly constructed (great climax in the cemetery!); performances are top notch. Nuts to the critics--this one's too much fun to miss!

Even Victor Herbert's music can't save this dismal "Wizard of Oz" wannabe. The script is uninspired, the sets and costumes are pedestrian, the direction is almost nonexistent, and the performances never rise above the junior high school drama club level. Drew Barrymore, Pat Morita, Keanu Reeves, et al seem embarrassed to be part of this stinker--as well they should be.