Official Synopsis:
“A victim of unspeakable evil while he lived, the “Candyman” (Tony Todd) has become evil incarnate in his afterlife. This time, he haunts the city of New Orleans, where a young schoolteacher named Annie Tarrant (Kelly Rowan) is struggling to solve the brutal murder of her father. The locals insist that he was slain by Candyman, but Annie is not convinced… until she unwittingly summons the monster forth, learns the secret of his power, and discovers the link that connects her to him. But can she stop him before he kills again?”
Transcending the horror genre, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh seeks to turn its antagonist into something more than just a senseless killer who murders those who summon him by calling his name in the mirror five times.
These are lofty goals for a horror film, it’s hard to imagine a Friday the 13th film in which we feel that Jason is the victim. Nonetheless some of the back-story they give Candyman is pretty interesting and gives the character a new type of depth.
The film shifts focus drastically throughout, which is the weakest part of Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. At the beginning, the story seems to focus on Ethan (William O’Leary) and him trying to get to the bottom of his father’s murder. After he is arrested for being suspected of the murder of Candyman’s victims, his sister Annie takes over the investigation to try and clear his name.
Annie begins to uncover a link between her family and Candyman, an old secret that has been kept for generations. It is in the third act where the focus is shifted toward Candyman and his back-story, the tone of the film changes, and we are left with something we didn’t expect. A love story.
Although this isn’t a typical love story, more a Gothic-type love story, the setting of New Orleans fits this story perfectly and compliments the more dark and twisted aspects. New Orleans is very much a character in the film, playing an important role throughout.
Video
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh is presented in 1080p 1.85:1. The transfer looks good, with very few noticeable blemishes and specks. Detail is on the soft side, save for some of the outdoor scenes and the very bright scenes.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. With the majority of the sound coming through the center channel, there are no noticeable problems with the track. The score for the film sounds exceptional here, and there are great jump moments that utilize the surrounds.
Special Features
Audio Commentary with Director Bill Condon
The Candyman Legacy with Tony Todd
Tony Todd has some very interesting stories to tell, including some of the ‘could have been’ ideas such as Candyman vs. Leprechaun.
Down Memory Lane with Veronica Cartwright
Theatrical Trailer
It is easy to dismiss Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh as a jumble of incoherent themes and ideas, but if you set it apart as a stand alone film, I think there are some good elements that come together to make a chilling tale. As a horror film, it has some great death scenes, decent to good special effects for the budget. The back-story should have been focused more on if it was the connection between Annie and Candyman they wanted us to care about. They should have gone all in with it, instead of leaving it at the tale end of the third act. That being said, I enjoyed Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, and think it is often unfairly criticized and misunderstood.