X
- 1992
- R
- TriStar Pictures
- 1 h 39 m
- 1992
- R
- TriStar Pictures
- 1 h 39 m
Summary The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.
Directed By: Bernard Rose
Written By: Clive Barker, Bernard Rose
- 1992
- R
- TriStar Pictures
- 1 h 39 m
- 1992
- R
- TriStar Pictures
- 1 h 39 m
Candyman
61
8.4
Where to Watch
Summary The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.
Directed By: Bernard Rose
Written By: Clive Barker, Bernard Rose
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
61
60% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
40% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
61
60% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
40% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
At its heart, Candyman terrifies because of its ideas. It sinks its horrific foundations very much in the real world of poverty and racial alienation.
There's a new bogeyman in town, and he makes all other pretenders to the terror throne look like a bunch of cuddly Disney characters.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 192 User Ratings
8.4
84% Positive
162 Ratings
162 Ratings
7% Mixed
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
8% Negative
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 192 User Ratings
8.4
84% Positive
162 Ratings
162 Ratings
7% Mixed
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
8% Negative
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
What I liked was a horror movie that was scaring me with ideas and gore, instead of simply with gore.
The acting here is first-rate, with Madsen turning in a forceful performance as the confused but resilient heroine. And special mention must be made of Philip Glass's superlative score, which combines synthesizers, piano, and chorus to haunting effect.
Madsen is a much better actress than is usually found in such a role. However, if you don't like splashes of blood or bees swarming out of bodies, you may want to think twice about this one.
Like so many post-Val Lewton horror films, this 1992 feature starts out promisingly while the plot is mainly a matter of suggestion, but gradually turns gross and obvious as the meanings become literal and unambiguous.
Director Rose seems not to know what to show next, and whether this is in an effort to keep his audience guessing or not, it only ends up making what could have been an exceptionally disturbing film exceptionally annoying.
This isn't a perfect movie by any means. There are aspects of the plot that never get explained or just flat out don't make any sense. Like why exactly a black dude who had his hand cut off, a hook shoved into the stump, and was covered in honey to be stung to death by bees for impregnating a white woman is associated with candy. Wouldn't something like Hookman or Hiveman have been more fitting? Go along for the ride though and you'll be treated to a stomach churning nightmare with a sharp socio-political edge.
The gore in this is phenomenal. Bernard Rose filled the picture with gnarly deaths and bloody sights galore that feel distinctly Clive Barker despite the author himself not being in the director's seat. Maybe even moreso than Nightbreed which he actually DID direct. So if you liked Hellraiser there's a good chance you'll enjoy this too. Kudos to them as well for managing to make the titular villain scary when unobscured in the broad daylight. As we've learned from the likes of Freddy Krueger, oftentimes seeing the monster in full view severely robs then of their fear factor. Not the case here. Now if only they had made it a little easier to understand what he's saying at times...
A lot of effort went into crafting a legitimate narrative that goes beyond merely watching people get murdered and tackles socially conscious themes such as racial inequality. As I said at the start of this review, there are holes and illogical aspects, but it's almost easy to overlook them entirely in the face of how good it is at pulling you into the mystery, bloodshed, and terror. It takes a while for Candyman to show up, but the time without him is well spent as we watch the protagonist investigate urban legends which effectively builds the tension for his inevitable arrival. It also gives us a chance to really take in the rundown inner-city environments which along with the soundtrack that at points sounds like carnival music being played on a pipe organ makes for a very distinctive atmosphere.
It would be remiss of me to not mention the acting. Normally in older horror flicks like this you get at least one or two lackluster to bad performances. Here though the cast is uniformly fantastic. The standout being Virginia Madsen in the lead role. She has to do most of the heavy lifting as her character's life is upended by the appearance of her supernatural foe. A task she proves more than up for as she carries us through the whole range of emotions allowing us to really grow attached to her character.
This is a top-notch horror movie that pulls from real world issues to give its exquisite brutality some extra depth. As with Pinhead before, I got some strong A Nightmare on Elm Street vibes. Whether it's the dreamlike qualities of the encounters with Candyman or the memorable personality and backstory that bring the ghoulish killer to nonlife, the influence of Wes Craven's classic can be found throughout. Barker and Rose did their own original thing with the similar elements however, and that's what ultimately left me loving the film in spite of its bumps.
9.3/10
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A slasher film that turns darkly romantic near the end. What's not to respect about this film
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You'd think perhaps from the title that the film wouldn't be as good as it turned out to be. Based on Clive Barker's excellent, intelligent and very chilling book, Candyman is a very good film.
The production values are great and very stylish. The cinematography is beautiful, and the setting and lighting is suitably atmospheric. The atmosphere also really helps, and the more disturbing bits do not thankfully come across as laughable or fake, thanks to the atmosphere and other factors it is genuinely chilling. Phillip Glass's hypnotic and goosebump-inducing score is also very effective, Bernard Rose directs brilliantly, the story is always gripping with Candyman's origins especially well done the dialogue is thought-provoking, intelligent and fits each scene accordingly.
The film is a good length and goes at a well-judged pace. The performances are impressive too, Virginia Madsen is simply terrific in a difficult role while Tony Todd is absolutely terrifying down from his posture to his voice. In fact, for me the only real downside was the ending, it was a sort of "it's not over" ending, and for me(I may be biased as I am not a fan of this type of ending) it felt tacky. In conclusion, an atmospheric horror film that delivers on pretty much every level. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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Interesting soundtrack, but the movie itself is pure trash. And more comic than scary.
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Awards
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
• 1 Win & 6 Nominations
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 4 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
