Cheers to the cult following of Practical Magic. The 1998 adaptation of Alice Hoffman’s novel was no hit at the box office. Yet 28 years later, a sequel has manifested, thanks to all those who kept the fantasy of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s sister witches alive via fan art and social media posts, and by rewatching on streaming.
The sequel brings its leading ladies back, along with storied actresses Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as their onscreen aunties. Many years have passed since the first film, so the next generation of Owens sisters has been recast, with Joey King and Maisie Williams stepping into the roles previously played by Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip. Also joining the enchanting ensemble are Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod, as menfolk who cross the Owens women’s paths for better or worse.
Together, they craft a tale of love, loss, sisterhood, and magic that bounds across genres while being thoroughly entertaining.
Warning: Practical Magic 2 begins as a bummer.
Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest in “Practical Magic 2.”
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Based on Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, this sequel initially unravels the happy ending promised by the last film. After defeating the vicious spirit of her ex (Goran Visnjic), Gilly (Kidman) and her sister Sally (Bullock) thought they’d defeated the curse that kills every man who dares to love an Owens woman. But in between movies, Sally’s second husband, Tucson investigator Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn), dies.
Not only does this pitch Sally back into grief, but it also renews her hatred for her own magical abilities. So, at this sequel’s start, she casts a spell on her young daughters so they will forget all the magic they’ve witnessed and have no idea that they are witches. Sally has also sworn Gilly to keep this secret from her daughters. However, the Owens girls still live in the Massachusetts community that knows they’re all witches, and recently helped them seance away an evil spirit. And they still are close with openly witchy aunties Jet (Wiest) and Franny (Channing). But — uh — magic. The girls don’t know magic is real, or that they are witches. Move on. The point is, Sally is back to one, in that she is alone and refusing to interact with magic.
Nicole Kidman and Joey King in “Practical Magic 2.”
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Less than 28 years later, Antonia (Williams) is in a medical residency, and Kylie is studying art at university. But more importantly, she’s falling for Gideon (Maridueña), a classmate who is utterly besotted with her. This renews the family’s concerns about the curse. But before Gideon’s life is threatened (which it will be), the Owens’ family experiences another peace-shattering loss.
Be warned: In Act 1, Wiest will remind us what an aspirational witchy old woman Jet is, showcasing her joy, her mischievousness, her love (of her family and margaritas), and her determination. And then Jet will die.
Before 15 minutes of this sequel passed, I cried harder than I could have imagined, as I always regarded the first film as fun but fluffy. Truth be told, it just never got macabre enough to really thrill me. Practical Magic 2, however, goes harder in heartbreak and in its oddness.
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Lee Pace defines Practical Magic 2.
Lee Pace and Sandra Bullock in “Practical Magic 2.”
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Bullock and Kidman slide comfortably into reprising the roles of Sally and Gilly, recreating the comedy duo of a bristling straight man and silly free spirit. Kidman in particular is a delight, swanning around in silky flowing garments and regarding minor inconveniences (stairs, low ceilings) with radiant disgust. Yet her Gilly is always game when magic comes into play, her eyes glowing with excitement as Sally is relegated to stiff worry. (Though Bullock, who also produces, makes it a point to weave in some slapstick and other silliness to keep Sally from being one-note.)
However, the plot this time hinges on Kylie. Once the curse pitches her boyfriend Gideon into a coma, Kylie gets a crash course in magic and her family’s history. Then, she runs away to England in search of a cure. Sally and Gilly are soon on her tail, butting heads along the way. But overseas, they find an ally in Professor Ian Wright, a dark magic academic who is covered in tattoos, played by Lee Pace, and introduced totally nude.
Now, as Practical Magic 2 is rated PG-13, director Susanne Bier (Bird Box) won’t show nudity. But she brings a female gaze the first film lacked, understanding that a close-up on Sally’s hand on Ian’s exposed chest is as seductive as the low whisper when he says they’re both “molecules.” Sure, that might sound silly or corny. But like the first film, Practical Magic 2‘s romantic subplot is unapologetically earnest. Here, it’s more alluring because Ian isn’t conflicted by his attraction to this beautiful, powerful witch. Fuck being reserved or coy. His every gaze is one of temptation. And as Pace has been known to play heroes and villains, this temptation comes with a hint of danger all his own.
On top of that, Ian embodies the sequel’s darker tone and new location. With a crisp English accent, the American actor welcomes audiences into the eccentric flats, cramped taverns, and stony ruins of England. In the first act, Bier embraces the salty sea town eccentricities of Massachusetts with a vibrant color palette. Production details assure the Owens’ tendency toward silks, velvets, chiffon, and feathers is a sharp contrast to the hard-wood architecture and rough roads. But in England, darker hues creep in, warning of the danger Kylie is in. That danger is reflected in the tattoos that litter Ian’s strong, long body. So, every time he reaches for Sally’s hand, as much as she yearns for his touch, the sigils inked there remind her of her daughter’s peril.
Practical Magic 2 descends into a chaotic climax.
Sandra Bullock in “Practical Magic 2.”
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Look, if you want a heart-warming witch fantasy, this sequel delivers. Craving a sexy but PG-13 romance? You got it. You want fashion that’s aspirational and deceptively simple? All good. You want to see women harness their own power to battle back against a system made to keep them down? You’ll be pleased.
Simply put, Practical Magic 2 covers a lot of ground in satisfying the presumed expectations of its audience. Plus, Bullock is once more the executive producer of the soundtrack, bringing in female-led bangers like Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure“ and Stevie Nicks’ “Landslide.” What this sequel doesn’t have is a third act that makes much sense.
Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the adapted screenplay for Practical Magic with Robin Swicord and Adam Brooks, teamed with Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel on the sequel. Together, they’ve crafted dialogue that reflects the intimacy and intensity at the core of Gilly and Sally’s bond. However, Hoffman’s book series includes two extra novels in between the two that serve as inspiration for Practical Magic and its sequel. And in the third act, the screenwriters hastily introduce a new character and a lot of backstory that causes a tangle of nonsense in the climax.
The story becomes convoluted, and character depictions are frustratingly thin. But after some whiz-bang action, the sequel’s tone evens out with a finale that is once more joyful and unapologetically girly. Ultimately, like its older sister, Practical Magic 2 offers a wild ride into different genre influences. But it’s undeniably a joy to see Kidman, Bullock, Wiest, and Channing back again. They offer a path for witchy women who might not be magic, but who boldly seek love, self-contentment, and sisterhood even when they’re no longer ingenues.
Through them, Practical Magic 2 is more than a good time; it’s a source of inspiration and hope in dark times for women.
Practical Magic 2 opens on Sept. 11.
