Practical Magic 2 review: Why sequel doesn’t bewitch despite Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman charm
Clunky dialogue and humour that falls flat mar this Suzanne Bier film, which rehashes moments and scenes from the 1998 original.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic 2.
There is no magic stronger than sisterhood, especially when the bond comes entangled with spells, charms and a generational curse. The word ‘witch’ has often been used to describe the ‘untamed’ woman — one who has agency, is confident and refuses to adhere to limits. Women who articulate their rage have often been relegated to the gallows and the stake.
It’s been 28 years since we were introduced to the coven of the Owens women on screen — in the 1998 release Practical Magic — and its two descendants, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman), who move in with their margarita-loving aunts to use the gift of practical magic to help others and themselves.
But magic comes at a cost. The Owens women are jinxed in love ever since one of their ten-times-great ancestors put a curse on the women: their Prince Charming would never get to awaken the princess, but rather face his end.
Revisiting Sally, Gilly & Co
The years have passed and haven’t been kind, as we meet Sally and Gilly once again in the sequel to the fantasy romantic comedy, an adaptation of the 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman.
Sally, now widowed with two daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), has chosen to discard her identity as a witch and is running a library. She has sworn her sister Gillian, doting aunt to her two daughters, to never tell them that they’re descendants of the Owens clan. The girls have often been fed stories of how the men who love them end up six feet under and have a good laugh, thinking it to be just nonsensical family hogwash.
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Antonia, a resident doctor in her fourth year, is committed to the hospital, while young Kylie, with her reckless wild streak, is in love with her college sweetheart Gideon (Xolo Maridueña), but does not dare introduce him to her mom and aunt, thinking they would spook him.
Unfortunately, it appears the curse strikes the young couple. Gideon meets with a fatal accident and sinks into a coma after Kylie confesses her feelings to him.
Devastated and recalling the lore of the curse, Kylie insists Sally come clean about their damned past. She comes across the witches’ raven handbook on her now-departed grand-aunt Jet’s desk and sets off for London to find a way to get Gideon back from his unconscious state and put an end to the family curse.
Fearing she will fall into a trap, with evil forces around, Sally and Gillian follow and seek assistance from a professional, Ian Wright (Lee Pace).
The rest is as predictable as it gets, as now it’s upon Sally to get her daughter back by embracing and reclaiming her power.
Kylie lands in trouble and to save her, both Sally and Gillian come together to take on the antagonist. Bound by the ties of blood, the women endorse and acknowledge the testament of the witches, that no one can disempower them if they stand in their power.
No patch on original
Practical Magic 2 has its moments. The aesthetics — the Stevie Nicks-ish bohemian and vintage costumes worn stylishly by Aunt Jet (Dianne Wiest) and Aunt Frances (Stockard Channing) — prove that neither age nor time has dulled their mojo.
The set design appears to be aiming for vintage-goth-meets-modern-architecture, but looks almost amateurish.
Clunky dialogue and humour that falls flat further mar the screenplay in this Suzanne Bier film, which rehashes moments and scenes from the first one.
The film starts off fun, breezy and full of promise, but loses steam in the second half.
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The actors are on top of their game, though, with both Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock excelling and Joey King rising to the occasion. Maisie Williams, however, has almost nothing to do beyond being a filler in the scheme of things — the actor has absolutely no arc or character to speak of.
The sequel also changes tracks from the original, which combined romantic comedy, domestic abuse, and magic, all of which were bound by the feminine friendship between the Owens women, sisters, aunts and daughters revelling in their bond. But it seems even the strongest women need men to spoil them, as well as save the day —whether it’s Kylie’s love for Gideon, or Sally’s almost-romance with Ian (though it never does quite happen).
Practical Magic 2 could have been fun, but lacks the magic to bewitch.
So, if it is nostalgia you are after, better rewatch the original.
