Practical Magic 2: An Impractical Sequel That Suffers Spell-Fatigue
By Karen Gordon
Rating: C+
There is heavy duty talent involved in Practical Magic 2, both in front and behind the camera - A-list stars fronting a strong committed cast; a director and writing team with Oscars, Emmy and BAFTA wins and nominations.
And yet, despite all the talent, and sincere and even affecting themes about family and love, the film is rife with plot holes that undermine the story to the point of distraction.
There are always risks when producers make sequels, especially when the original wasn’t begging for a follow up. Still, 1998’s Practical Magic did have a dangling thread to motivate a sequel, although not one that would keep anyone up at night.
The movies, basically rom-coms with light-and-dark magic, are based on the novels by Alice Hoffman. Set in modern day Massachusetts, the Practical Magic movies are built around a close-knit family of witches, who have lived in the same wonderful Victorian house for generations.
Returning from the first film are two sets of sisters in the Owens family: down-to-earth Sally, (Sandra Bullock) and her younger party-girl sister, Gillian (Nicole Kidman). They live with the aunts who raised them: Jet (Dianne Wiest) and Franny (Stockard Channing).
They’re terrific characters, played by actors who are always a pleasure to watch. And for fans of the first movie, it’s a wonderful thing to revisit them.
Practical Magic 2 introduces two more sisters, Sally’s grown daughters, who mirror their mom and their aunt. Like her mom, Antonia (Maisie Williams) is a down to earth doctor. And Kylie (Joey King) is like free spirited Aunt Gillian.
But – and here’s the first hard-to-swallow pill - Sally’s daughters don't know that they're powerful witches, from a long line of powerful witches. And that means they don't know they're burdened by a family curse. If any Owens woman falls in love, that love is doomed to die an early death. (Hence the long-ago loss of the girls’ husband and father).
How did Sally raise her two smart, curious daughters in a town where everyone knows the family’s witchy history (as anyone who has seen the original knows), without them hearing about it. They live in a house with two aunties who are practicing witches, making magical remedies in their beautiful plant-filled atrium? Were they under an obliviousness spell?
The first film didn't deal with the question of whether the curse could be lifted, which brings us to Practical Magic 2, where the question is asked and answered.
Two things happen at once to set off the action. Aunt Jet is about to die, which she knows because she’s been given notice of same from the magical world.
In the library, she retrieves a book of previously hidden heavy duty magic spells, including one to reverse curses. Jet leaves the book on her desk with a note to her sister.
Secondly, Kylie, unaware of the consequences, has fallen in love with Gideon (Xolo Maridueña), who completely, giddily loves her back. When she confesses her love to him, he has an accident and ends up in hospital in a coma.
Now Sally is forced to tell Kylie and Antonia the truths she’s hidden. Kylie, desperate to save her beloved’s life, finds the magic book on Aunt Jet’s desk and sees the page that promises a spell for reversing curses. But while she's trying to figure out how to open the magically sealed pages, she hears a voice telling her to travel to England, where her ancestors are from.
Without asking her aunts for help, or telling anyone where she's going, panicked Kylie heads to the airport. This is a problem on numerous levels, not least of which is that the book itself is not for amateurs, and she is very much an amateur.
Her mom and aunt figure out where she’s gone and head over to England, the whole thing gets a bit eye-rollingly wonky.
So, where does this book that Aunt Jet pulls out from behind the library shelves come from? How did Jet suddenly find out about it and its exact hidden location? And if it could solve the curse, why have the sisters waited until now to do the deed?
Oh, never mind. I didn't go in asking for much, other than the pleasure of watching wonderful actors recreating familiar characters in a movie that had enough interest to keep me engaged and ultimately happy.
The formidable returning actors, Bullock, Kidman, Weist and Channing do their part, which is no surprise. The younger generation of Owens sisters, Williams and King are terrific. King especially acquits herself when the film goes awry.
It’s a shame. The film looks good. The acting is wonderful. I enjoyed spending more time with these characters in their big house with well tended gardens. And the film does have a lot of love and family loyalty in it that made me tear up.
But not even a family, this magical, and a production team this talented, could overcome the plot holes.
Practical Magic 2. Directed by Susanne Bier, Written by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchettand Kelly Marcel. Stars Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Maisie Williams, Joey King. Xolo Maridueña.
In theatres, Friday, September 11.