Nick Dufresne

Easily the most overtly racist movie I’ve seen in a long time. If you look at the Google Reviews, the vast majority are either 1 or 5 stars. That's because the entire plot of this movie is a political sermon that people either agree with or disagree with. The movie had such promise. The trailers were fantastic. So save yourself the agony of watching this movie and just watch the trailers. From the very beginning of the film, we’re force-fed the narrative that white people, not the titular monster, are the true enemy. We’re treated to mind-numbingly contrived diatribes on how white people forced ‘people of color’ into low income areas, and then gentrified those areas, thus ensuring they stayed poor. The “say my name” titled artwork, the BLM stickers, and the ‘black power’ fist imagery are strategically placed in the movie, making sure that you never forget what this film’s political agenda is. There is not a single white person in the film who does not exhibit some ridiculously over the top character flaw. White cops are ignorant, racist, corrupt murderers. White teenagers are bigoted bullies. The white art gallery owner is a philanderer who’s sleeping with his bimbo of an intern (also white). The white art critic repeatedly makes not-so-subtle, ignorant comments. White people, in this movie, are racist caricatures created to justify the fact that they’re all mercilessly murdered in gruesome fashion. The only non-white victim of the Candyman is also the only true villain in the movie, and yet, from him, the Candyman gains a purpose: he’s an avenging spirit, on a mission to kill the white people who have all inherently (somehow) wronged the black community. In the final scene, after murdering an entire squad of white cops, Candyman states “They will say you were innocent, but you were far from innocent.” And yet, every single one of the white victims of the Candyman was entirely innocent. This movie had potential. It nails the visuals and the atmosphere, when it (rarely) chooses to. But the constant, blatant, in-your-face racism make it all but unwatchable.