Candyman

THE GIST: A couple of grad students are researching local legends and myths with a healthy dose of skepticism, which leads them to unwittingly summon the Candyman, who promptly goes on a killing spree.

Candyman is based on a Clive Barker story, and Barker also co-wrote the screenplay with Bernard Rose, who also directs. I can't speak for the written work, but the movie is hardly memorable.

Virginia Madsen, Toni Todd, Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons, and Vanessa Williams do a reasonable job, but the acting is way over the top, which I attribute to the mediocrity of the script, which forces the actors to exaggerate in order to cover for it.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I watched this because a new sequel is upcoming and I want to see it, but I can't say this was particularly enjoyable. It is the typical silly horror made with no pretenses that hardly engages your brain. Pass.

Grade: 4.5