Practical Magic 2 review: the spell lasts half an hour, then the sisters leave the house

Right, let’s get into it. Practical Magic 2 has finally arrived, three decades after the original, and honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed brew. The first film wasn’t exactly a critical darling when it premiered back in 1998, but over the years, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s witchy romcom managed to conjure itself a devoted cult following. Cosy vibes, a cracking soundtrack, ridiculous levels of chemistry between the cast – plenty of people (myself included) have made it an autumn tradition. So, does the sequel nail that same spell? Well, yes and no. Mostly no, if I’m being blunt.

Practical Magic 2 clocks in at a hefty 130 minutes.

The Cast Returns…and So Do the Issues

Let’s cover the big news first: Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as Sally and Gillian Owens. Reunited with them are absolute icons Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as the aunts, Jet and Franny. Having all four back genuinely works – their dynamic is still charming, instantly making it feel like a proper sequel, not just a cash-in. Bullock and Kidman especially drop straight back into their roles, like no time’s passed. The warmth, the bickering, those little glances – it just clicks.

This time, the Owens family curse rears its ugly head again, and forces the lot of them out of their eerie New England home and off to the UK, for a very British witch-hunt. The first half-hour, when we’re still in familiar territory, is surprisingly strong. It’s when the story leaves the comfort of the old Owens house, and heads into ‘supernatural adventure in London’ mode, that the old magic starts thinning out. The original was messy, juggling genres and moods, but it had that eccentric, slightly off-kilter charm. This one gets bigger – new locations, more mythology – but the further it roams, the less distinctive it gets.

Pacing Woes and Strange Choices

Let’s talk about the runtime. At just over two hours, the film simply doesn’t know when to stop. Scenes frequently drag well past their expiry date, especially when we’re supposed to be unravelling secrets from the Owens’ rather convoluted family history. Director Susanne Bier (who has done good work before, by the way) gives the sequel more polish than your typical streaming movie, but it all moves with the slightly soggy pacing of one. You’ll notice odd editing choices too, particularly whenever someone tries their hand at magical exposition or flashbacks. At times, it does feel one vampire short of a Twilight comparison.

The recasting is another weird one. Joey King and Maisie Williams play the younger generation, Kylie and Antonia, respectively. King, to be fair, puts the effort in, but neither character comes close to the appeal Bullock and Kidman had in the original. Alexandra Artrip played Antonia before, but she’s now retired, so that change is fair enough. But Evan Rachel Wood originated Kylie – she’s still working, yet she’s out and replaced with King. Bier’s reasoning is that the sequel wanted these characters as recent graduates, but it jars. Thirty years have passed, but apparently nobody’s aged except the audience? It’s the kind of decision that makes you wonder just how closely anyone was paying attention in pre-production.

• Sandra Bullock (Sally Owens) and Nicole Kidman (Gillian Owens) return as the leads
• Dianne Wiest (Jet) and Stockard Channing (Franny) are back as the aunts
• Joey King (Kylie) and Maisie Williams (Antonia) play the new generation, with both original actresses replaced
• Lee Pace joins as Ian Wright, a professor drawn into the weirdness
• Susanne Bier directs, giving it a more polished look (on the surface)

Lee Pace is here as well, in the role of a charming professor who stumbles too close to Owens family business. He slots into the cast comfortably, but even he feels surplus to requirements at times. There’s simply too much going on – new faces, deeper backstory, more rules, less fun.

It’s not all doom and gloom – not quite. Every so often, Practical Magic 2 trips over a winning scene. The moments when Bullock and Kidman share the frame, or when Wiest and Channing get their say, it actually clicks. The film remembers, briefly, why people loved the first one – warmth, humour, and the feeling that a kitchen full of chaos is a rather lovely place to be (especially if someone brings out the margaritas). But every time it leans into those strengths, it’s not long before another clunky flashback or drab overseas subplot bogs everything down again.

Honestly, it’s not the worst nostalgia sequel out there, and there are hints of what made the original magic. But it never quite figures out why the original worked, and ends up a bit overstuffed and under-charmed. The Owens sisters still have spark. The film around them – well, that could’ve done with a few more secret ingredients.