Conclusions can be tough, if you have got a premise that could keep going strong, it can be challenging to finish. However, if your ideas are starting to repeat themselves, it might be a good time to end on a high while you still can. In 1999, the final instalment in the battle between Robitaille and his descendants came to a thrilling conclusion, In Candyman 3 Day of the Dead.

On the eve of the Day of the Dead celebrations, gallery owner Caroline is uncomfortable about her family’s past with the Candyman, the persecuted son of the slave who became an ethereal killer. When a painting of the famed spectre results in the provocation of Candyman’s name being said five times into a mirror, all hell breaks loose. Like he has done many times before the ghost of Daniel Robitaille is back terrorising everybody Caroline has loved to goad Caroline into joining him. The police department quickly fingers Caroline for the murders, it is up to her to prove her innocence and finally rid the world of Candyman once and for all.

Candyman has continued his trek, from Chicago to Louisiana now into the sunny sidewalks in LA. Whereas the original focused on the plight of the African American community, Day of the Dead expands to cover voices of the Latinx community in the city. Like the first one to it tries to showcase messages beyond its main horror plot. With some themes about police profiling and persecution, the tale feels relevant to current events, and a nice return to form the more horror focused Candyman 2. The third film also ups the stakes by adding Samuel Kraft, an especially troubling cop who has an unhealthy fascination with Caroline.

The film is supposedly set in 2020, but it could have been 1999, no inventive divinations at depicting future fashion, or conceptively creative new computers (possibly operated by thoughts), in a way I suppose it’s very reflective how incremental the changes to society have been. Still, it manages to be effective in delivering chills though, In keeping with the last two films, Tony Todd returns on fine form, with an arsenal of his trademark bees, and Krueger-like domain over dreams, Candyman still knows how to send a shiver down your spine. 

It is ironic that Candyman’s conclusion in 2020, is mirrored by his rebirth as a soft reboot scheduled to be released that year. Yet without the benefit of hindsight, Candyman 3 manages to craft another fine tale of under-equipped heroines’ verses unimaginable evil. But as a conclusion it does do well in ending the horror that Candyman has befallen his bloodline, Turning him literally into a legend. Candyman 3 will have a place in history as fittingly as the character who started it all.

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