Movie Review: ‘Practical Magic 2’ should have stuck with the original spell book

"Practical Magic 2" should have stuck with the original spell book. Nearly three decades after the first film flopped, a sequel was greenlit, likely due to a stroke of magic. The original "Practical Magic" from 1998, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the Owens family witches, became a cult classic. Its campy fun and whimsy helped it find an unlikely second life.

The sequel, however, abandons some of the original's best elements. While the first movie blended "Death Becomes Her" and "Halloweentown," the sequel opts for a more genuinely spooky tone. Where a pentagram was crafted with whipped cream in the original, it's created with fire in the sequel.

"Practical Magic 2" picks up shortly after the first film ended, with the Owens sisters witnessing the curse that has plagued their family for generations playing out again. Sally (Bullock) becomes a widow once more after her second husband dies, and she forces her sister Gillian (Kidman) and their aunts Jet and Franny (Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing) to swear they won't reveal their magical abilities or curse to the sisters' young daughters.

Fast forward to when those young girls are adults and become interested in romance, and chaos ensues. Sally's daughter Kylie (Joey King) pushes the meandering plot forward with her mission to undo the Owens family curse after her boyfriend, Gideon (Xolo Maridueña), falls into a coma.

The sequel swaps the original's playful energy for a more spooky-creepy tone, possibly due to its release during the Halloween season. However, it lacks the moments of pure fun that made the original film's darker moments more acceptable. While there are still charming, tender moments in the film, propelled by strong performances, the balance between lighter and darker tones falters.

Despite these shortcomings, the sequel has a strong soundtrack and score, carried by its back-and-forth between lighter and darker moments. Stevie Nicks and Harry Nilsson are back with their iconic songs "Rhiannon" and "Coconut." "Practical Magic 2," a Warner Bros. Pictures release, ran in theaters on Thursday and received a PG-13 rating for violent content, suggestive material, and brief strong language. The movie ran for 130 minutes and received two stars out of four.