Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (1999)
There are only two good things about Candyman: Day of the Dead. First, it follows my long-running adage that if you can’t be good, at least be sleazy. Do you like blood? Do you like boobs? Do you like blood on boobs? This movie’s got you covered. The second is the horrible decision to cast Donna D’Errico in the lead role. Why is that good? Read on…
Set 25 years after the previous movie (so it was set in the then-future of 2020), on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Los Angeles, artist Caroline McKeever (Donna D’Errico) is trying to clear the name of her great-great-grandfather Daniel Robitaille (Tony Todd) by asking the public to focus on the artist rather than the urban legend. When the Candyman manifests once more and begins slaughtering those around her, the police think she or her friend David de la Paz (Nick Corri) is responsible.
Sometimes it’s easy to see when someone got a role they shouldn’t have. Other times, things might not be so black-and-white and you might wonder if people are just getting too sensitive. Finally, there are cases where you just don’t know and you feel timid expressing any kind of opinion. If you ever need proof that there's a bias towards certain ethnicities in Hollywood, watch Candyman 3. Look at D’Errico. Look at Tony Todd. These two are supposed to be related? Give me a break. Yes, her parents were paper-white in the previous movie but there, I could "give it a pass" because the family ties were a twist. She doesn't look the part and she can't act it either. Everyone comes off as amateurish, including Tony Todd, who is clearly thinking “why did I sign up for this”? Let me take that back. Alexia Robinson as Tamara, Caroline’s roommate deserves an Academy Award for listening to her speech about how she’s related to Robitaille and keeping a straight face.
The rest of the movie is poorly written and forgettable. Nothing we learn about Candyman gives us a deeper appreciation for the character, every character is disposable, and aside from many scenes of interracial love - if you see a female actor in this film, there’s an 80% chance you’ll see her take her clothes - it’s lightyears away from any progressive/provocative ideas. The special effects are… ok for a skinny $3 million budget. There’s plenty of gore and hooks getting plunged into people’s backs and out through their chest, and some neat insect performances.
Candyman’s motivations are vague when they’re not inconsistent. She’s his descendant but maybe also the reincarnation of his daughter? Doesn’t explain why they kiss towards the end (Eww). Mostly, you’re waiting for Caroline to find Robitaille's missing paintings so they can destroy them while dodging the two racist cops on her tail. Even for a movie featuring Robitaille's gruesome lynching, these racist cops are over-the-top. Worse, they're not even fun to hate.
Candyman 3: Day of the Dead is a generic sequel that feels like some repurposed Nightmare on Elm Street knockoff. It’s uninspired and dull. The bad performances, lack of energy, confusing mythology, and other problems can’t counterbalance the gore, nudity, and few unintentional laughs it has to offer. (August 29, 2021)
