Practical Magic 2's nostalgia-bait spell blows up in its face

In the wake of Instagram's visual trend of presenting nostalgic childhood films, a new movie aimed at older audiences—Practical Magic 2—fails to fulfill its purpose. The original film, despite not being a masterpiece, has a charm that doesn't translate well to a sequel. The story about sisterhood and overcoming a curse from a past generation now seems like a cliché representation of intergenerational trauma.

Its lack of structure and coherence is compensated by its runtime (105 minutes) and amusing segments like the "midnight margaritas" sequence.

The sequel follows the next generation of Owens, focusing on Sally's daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), who are now grown and leading more conventional lives. These daughters have been raised by their mother after her second husband's death, trying to break free from the enchantment of their eccentric matriarchy.

However, this setup, spanning 25 years in the movie, is delivered in a confusing voiceover that tries to link the two movies. The sequel fails to explain why the first attempt to break the curse didn't work, why Kylie and Antonia don't remember their magical childhood, or why Sally still lives with her aunts, Franny (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest).

The movie's attempt to break the curse is interrupted by confusing plot twists, which leads to an antiseptic and unappealing shift from cozy New England aesthetics to the cold grays of London. This change, along with the digital cinematography, gives the movie a TV-like quality. The ensemble cast tries to save the story, but the script's convoluted plot stunts the movie's pacing. Despite the strong performances of Bullock and Kidman, the story struggles with a lack of direction, relying heavily on rapid side plots.

The only emotional connection is provided by the seasoned actresses Channing and Wiest, although they are not given enough screen time. Even if you loved the original movie as a child, Practical Magic 2 offers little excitement. The sequel's pacing is as erratic as the original and significantly less charming. The narrator concludes that the movie is a burden to audiences, who are made to carry the weight of subpar sequels, haunted by characters and stories that may not need to be resurrected.