In June, Hocus Pocus 2. The trailer showed that the beloved and feared Sanderson sisters (portrayed by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) were all back and ready to haunt Salem after years of being gone.
There were a few reveals in the trailer, one of them being that one of the main stars from the first movie wasn’t coming back for the sequel: Omari Katz as Max Dennison. In the ‘90s when the movie was released, Max was a teen heartthrob who made the right choices in the movie. But nowadays when ‘90s viewers rewatch the movie, they’re reminded of some of the more annoying things that Max did in the movie that didn’t help his or his sister’s safety.
Max’s Stunt In Class To Get Allison’s Number Was Embarrassing
At the start of the movie, Max and his crush Allison were shown in class listening to their teacher’s description of the importance of Halloween in Salem and the curse of the Sanderson sisters. Max and Allison went back and forth about the magic of Halloween night and it ended in an embarrassing moment in front of the whole class.
Unwarranted and in the middle of their debate about magic and Halloween, Max stood up in the middle of class and gave Allison his number. This was inappropriate for several reasons and it was annoying to see Max so cocky in his desire for Allison. Allison awkwardly took his number before the class bell rang and everyone left. Many found saw his brazen personality as off-putting.
He Acted Immaturely At His Distaste For His Family’s Move
Fans of Hocus Pocus and the town of Salem can visit the real locations where the movie was filmed during production. The ability to do this adds to the movie’s cult following. And speaking of Salem, it was a place that Max didn’t want to be when his family moved there.
Understandably, Max was a teenager and was bothered when his parents moved them across the country from Los Angeles to Salem on the East Coast. However, his attitude toward his parents for the big move was unnecessary. While his younger sister Dani accepted the change of scenery and adapted to a new town, Max resented his family and acted out. Fans were bothered by his behavior because even his younger sister acted more maturely.
His Behavior During Trick Or Treating Was Childish
It’s no secret that Hocus Pocus is one of the best cult-classic Halloween movies. Between comedy, drama, and fear — it has all the makings for a perfect holiday movie. It’s one of those movies that fans look forward to watching every Halloween.
Just like viewers, Dani couldn’t wait to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Since she was so young, she and Max’s parents demanded Max take her since they were already busy with a local Halloween party. As a teen who hated the new town he lived in, he threw a temper tantrum about celebrating the evening with his sister. In many ways, Max acted more childish than Dani. She was excited to dress up and snag free candy but his behavior dampened the activity.
Max Used His Sister To Get Closer To Allison
What made Hocus Pocus one of the best witch movies is the Sanderson sisters’ hilarious bond with one another and their desire for the souls of children. With Dani being Max’s younger sister, she was the Sandersons' main target when it came to souls. But it wasn’t just the Sandersons who used Dani — it was her brother too.
On Halloween night, Max saw how taken Allison was by Dani so even though he was rude to her all evening while trick-or-treating, he used her to get closer to Allison. This was incredibly hurtful since hours earlier he told Dani that she was ruining his life, and now suddenly she was his savior because he brought him closer to Allison? It was not one of Max’s best looks.
When He Showed Off To Allison With The Lighting Of The Black Flame Candle
When Allison showed Max and Dani the old house that the Sanderson sisters used to live in, they were taken aback by how spooky and old it was. Many assumed Allison was a witch because of her witchy knowledge of the sisters. With spider webs everywhere, Max found the Black Flame Candle while Allison told him its significance. If lit by a virgin on Halloween night, it could bring the Sanderson sisters back from the dead.
As a non-believer, Max was cocky and ignorant to think that a centuries-old curse couldn’t have been possible. He grabbed a lighter, lit the candle, and as the ground shook they all knew Max just ignored history and the dangerous repercussions that followed. As a virgin on Halloween night, he brought the evil Sandersons back to life.
He Left His Bullies To Die
At the start of the movie, viewers saw Max bullied by two students at his high school, Ice and Jay. The two approached Max on his way home from school but when Max didn’t befriend them, they stole his expensive shoes and sent him on his way.
Max later ran into these bullies again while trick-or-treating when they tried taking Dani’s candy. While feeling sorry for Max is justified, in the end, Jay and Ice found their way into the Sanderson sisters' home where they were taken captive and caged around a hot pot. Max was later in a position where he could have saved his bullies from death but he left them there to suffer. Despite his issues with Jay and Ice, leaving them to die was a dark storyline for a Disney movie.
His Disgust For Halloween While Living In A Town Like Salem
There was nothing Max could have done when his family moved to Salem. Although he was sad about leaving his friends behind, fans thought he should have made the most of his situation—like his sister—but instead blamed his family for ruining his life.
Knowing Salem is the location of all locations for Halloween in America because of the spooky atmosphere from the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600s, Max shouldn’t have been so outwardly aggravated by the holiday to his classmates and peers. He made a big stink in the middle of class about being a non-believer of Halloween magic and claimed it was a made-believe holiday for candy corporations to make money. This salty attitude toward a fun, beloved holiday was seen as annoying.
Why Did He And Allison Have To Open Book?
After Max, Dani, and Allison thought they defeated the Sanderson sisters, they relaxed and relished a fresh start.
While Dani slept, Max and Allison thought there was no harm in opening Winifred Sanderson’s book (whom she called Book). This said book held dangerous spells and potions that helped the Sandersons get their way. Without the book, Winifred was helpless. But with the three supposedly dead, Max opened the book to see what was on the inside. Unbeknownst to Max and Allison, the sisters were still alive, and with Book opened, they were able to track down where it (and Max, Allison, and Dani) was and have their way with the town. Max became one of the least liked characters after this move.
How Was Max The Only One To Run Into Billy?!
While running away from the Sandersons, the three teens ran into a cemetery where they were told by Thackery Binx to huddle together inside a big circle of salt to save themselves.
While Allison and Dani made it inside the cemetery with no problems, Max just so happened to run right into a corpse from the dead — Billy Butcherson. Billy snagged Max, slowing him down, and allowed the Sanderson sisters to reach him. While Billy met no harm, it was incredibly annoying that Max ran into the only person from the dead when he had the entire cemetery to dodge him.
