FILM RELEASE REVIEW IN CINEMAS
PRACTICAL MAGIC
★★★½ — A magical return for the Owens sisters
Sequels can be tricky things to get right, particularly when the original film has built such a loyal following. When Practical Magic arrived, it captured audiences with its delicious mix of romance, family, sisterhood, curses and, of course, a little witchcraft thrown into the cauldron. Now, after all these years, the Owens sisters are back — and once again, magic is very much in the air.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as Sally and Gillian Owens in PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, bringing back the chemistry that made the original such a favourite. This time around, the sisters must confront a dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all, taking audiences on another journey filled with fun, magic, mayhem, romance and plenty of family history.
For me, though, this was one where I found myself sitting a little on the edge of my seat wondering where it was all going. The story certainly works, but at times I couldn’t help feeling it could have been tightened up. At just a little too long, there are moments where the magic starts to lose some of its sparkle.
But there is one person who really carries this film for me — Nicole Kidman. Her character has the best material, and she delivers some of the film’s best lines with exactly the right combination of humour, attitude and charm. Kidman clearly knows how to have fun with this character, and watching her alongside Sandra Bullock reminds us why these two work so well together.
And yes, they both look absolutely amazing. Their on-screen partnership still clicks, and the years between the original and this sequel haven’t taken away from their appeal as the Owens sisters.
I am also a big fan of Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, so seeing them return gives the film another welcome lift. There is something rather special about bringing familiar faces back into a story that audiences already have an emotional connection with.
The new additions also bring plenty to the screen, particularly Lee Pace, who certainly has the screen presence — and the eye candy — to make an impression as a new love interest for Bullock’s character. Joey King, Maisie Williams, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod also join the magical mix.
Susanne Bier directs from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel, based on Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic. With Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman also producing alongside Denise Di Novi, there is certainly plenty of talent invested in bringing the Owens family back to the big screen.
And from everything I’ve heard, making this film was pretty magical for everyone involved — perhaps the timing was simply right to return to this world.
I also think the first Practical Magic will find a whole new audience through this sequel. For those who grew up loving the original, it is a chance to revisit that world, while younger audiences may discover the Owens sisters for the first time. At the box office, this could prove to be a very appealing chick flick for audiences looking for something light, romantic and a little bit wicked.
Overall, PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 is a film for lovers of magic, romance, family and a good dose of mayhem. It may not have quite captured all the magic I was hoping for, and I felt the running time could have been trimmed, but there is still plenty here to enjoy — particularly the wonderful chemistry between Bullock and Kidman and Kidman’s standout performance.
So, grab your girlfriends, settle in and let the Owens sisters cast their spell once again.
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 is in Australian cinemas September 10.
