The Main Character: The movie’s protagonist is Anthony portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen, an artist from Chicago who moves into the Cabrini Green neighborhood with his girlfriend, Brianna portrayed by Teyonah Parris. He soon learns about the legend of Candy Man from a character named Coleman played by William Burke, an older man who was around back when the original Candy Man legend had started. Anthony finds inspiration to model this story in his latest work at an art exhibit where the piece he creates is put on display, which leads to a series of events for the rest of the movie. 

Setting: Both movies take place in the Cabrini Green community, a former ghetto in Chicago that has since undergone gentrification. This neighborhood is the origin of the Candy Man legend, and the site of numerous murders throughout the film. It is also the birthplace of Anthony, our main character. While the original movie was more focused on the Candy Man himself, this remake delves deeper into the symbolism of this community and the real world parallels between what happens on-screen and in real life. 

Plot: In contrast to the slasher aesthetic that the original movie portrays, the remake  does a great job of providing the viewers with a more expansive history of the Candy Man and why he exists in the first place, while tying events from the original film. As the legend goes, if his name is said  five times in the mirror, he appears and kills the speaker. However,  in this remake, it is not just as simple as one horrific jumpscare after another. Instead, true horror not only comes from the victims themselves, but also the slow, burn effect that is present in Anthony. Throughout the film, we see him descend into madness and obsession just like the protagonist of the original, until the final act is revealed. 

Final Thoughts: Overall, I believe that this film was an excellent adaptation that kept the original elements of the first film while coding it with a deeper message. Many horror films today rely too much on cheap jumpscares and mediocre suspense. This film manages to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time, especially during the blood curdling murder scenes. In my opinion, this version is a clear superior to the original and I give it a nine out of ten rating.