Practical Magic 2 Review: Nothing Stronger Than Sisterhood
Nearly three decades after our first introduction to the women of the Owens family, they’re back and witchier than ever in Practical Magic 2.
In the 1998 cult classic directed by Griffin Dunne, two witch sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman), are raised by their eccentric aunts, Frances and Jet Owens (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest), in a small New England town. The sisters face close-minded prejudice and a familial curse that threatens to prevent them from finding lasting love—any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies a tragic death.
While audiences may have thought the curse was broken at the end of the first film, and that Sally and Gary (Aidan Quinn) got a happy ever after, that wasn’t the case.
The Susanne Bier-directed sequel quickly reveals that romance also ended in tragedy, which led Sally to take desperate measures to protect her young daughters. Now grown, the film follows the younger generation of Owens women, Kylie and Antonia (Joey King and Maisie Williams), as they discover the secret of their family history and are pulled back into supernatural chaos when they attempt to break the curse once and for all.
It also sees Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their beloved roles of Sally and Gillian, and reunites them with Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest as their eccentric aunts. And of course, Lee Pace is a welcome addition to the sequel’s cast, playing Professor Ian Wright—who specialises in the history of magic—and Sally’s love interest.
As far as sequels go, especially when they take 28 years to make, Practical Magic 2 actually has a solid story that adds something to the original romantic fantasy film-turned-franchise and doesn’t simply pander to nostalgia.
However, just like the original, this film isn’t without its faults.
Although the pacing is slightly better this time around, it still drags on in several places, especially towards the end, when it feels like the story has already concluded but goes on for another twenty minutes. The dialogue is also an issue, with Sally seemingly repeating herself and mumbling throughout the film, and funny little quips not landing as hoped.
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And while the on-screen chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman is still as strong now as it was in the original, I can’t help but feel like both actresses had a distracting lack of emoting that pulled me out of what would have otherwise been emotional scenes. It’s a shame because they have both consistently given powerful performances throughout their careers.
On the topic of chemistry, I also wish Joey King and Maisie Williams had been given more screen time together. With the main focus being on Kylie and less on Antonia—and with the sisters being in separate places for most of the film—the bond between them fails to develop into something truly meaningful like Sally and Gillian’s relationship.
Even with these issues, the film does have its charming moments, including the return of midnight margaritas and the Owens women jumping off a roof together. There are also great needle drops from Stevie Nicks, Olivia Rodrigo, and Brandi Carlile that are reminiscent of needle drops in the original film.
More importantly, audiences will still understand the central message of Practical Magic 2: that nothing is stronger than sisterhood.
★★★
In UK cinemas from September 11th / Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams / Dir: Susanne Bier / Warner Bros / 12A
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