Practical Magic 2 review: Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock’s long-awaited sequel struggles to recapture the original’s magic

Nearly three decades after Practical Magic first brought Sally and Gillian Owens to the big screen, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock return for a sequel that attempts to revive the beloved sister-witch story. But according to this review, the reunion offers far less charm than the nostalgia might suggest.

The 1998 original may have been an imperfect cult favorite, but it had a certain warmth and personality that helped audiences embrace its eccentric mix of witchcraft, romance, comedy and family drama.

Practical Magic 2, however, is described as a much less convincing spell.

Directed by Susanne Bier, known for Bird Box and After the Wedding, the sequel runs for two hours and 10 minutes — roughly 25 minutes longer than the first film. The extended runtime does little to help a story that frequently feels stretched and uneven.

The Owens family curse returns

The central problem facing the Owens women has not disappeared after all.

The women in the family remain under a centuries-old curse: whenever they fall in love with a man, he dies. Although the first film appeared to resolve that burden, the sequel reveals that the curse still has consequences for the family.

This time, its effects reach Sally’s daughters, Kylie, played by Joey King, and Antonia, played by Maisie Williams.

Sally has used magic to make the young women forget that they possess powers of their own. Their lives are thrown into greater turmoil when Kylie’s boyfriend, Gideon, played by Xolo Maridueña, is struck by a car and falls into a coma.

Desperate to break the family’s deadly legacy, Kylie travels back to her family’s hometown in England.

But the search for a solution soon becomes tangled in another supernatural mystery.

A mysterious book may hold the answer

Jet, the eccentric aunt played by Dianne Wiest, discovers the Book of the Raven, an ancient tome containing a chapter titled “How To End The Curse.”

There is just one problem: the enchanted pages are sealed shut.

Meanwhile, Sally turns to Ian Wright, played by Lee Pace, a professor with knowledge of magical history. Yet the character ultimately makes little impact on the story.

The film then spends much of its remaining runtime moving through the family’s search for answers before arriving at a revelation that, according to the review, fails to deliver much of a surprise.

Familiar faces, but less of the old charm

Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return as sisters Frances and Jet, while Bullock and Kidman once again take center stage as Sally and Gillian.

The original film’s appeal was never entirely dependent on its plot. Its charm came from the chemistry between its leads, the unusual atmosphere and the sense that the characters genuinely belonged in their strange magical world.

The sequel, however, is criticized for leaning too heavily on the celebrity status of Bullock and Kidman rather than allowing their characters to naturally draw viewers into the story.

The review argues that Kidman’s eccentricity as Gilly and Bullock’s more serious presence often feel performed rather than spontaneous.

Even the film’s closing dance to “Coconut” is described as lacking the effortless fun audiences might expect from a reunion between the two stars.

A sequel caught between nostalgia and disappointment

The biggest challenge for Practical Magic 2 may ultimately be the enormous expectations surrounding its return.

The first film had its flaws, but those imperfections became part of its cult appeal. The sequel attempts to recreate that familiarity through returning characters, magic, family ties and the reunion of Bullock and Kidman.

Yet the review finds the result surprisingly difficult to connect with.

The humor frequently falls flat, the dialogue relies heavily on catchphrases about empowerment and sisterhood, and several supporting characters contribute little to the overall story.

The newcomers also struggle to make a lasting impression. Maisie Williams spends much of the film around Gideon’s hospital room, while Joey King’s character carries much of the emotional weight surrounding the family’s latest crisis.

For a film built around the idea that sisterhood is the strongest magic of all, the story itself does not always make that bond feel convincing.

The verdict

Practical Magic 2 arrives as a nostalgic reunion nearly 28 years after the original, bringing back two of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars and continuing the story of the Owens family.

But nostalgia alone cannot recreate the atmosphere that made the first film endure.

With its lengthy runtime, uneven humor and supernatural storyline, the sequel may leave longtime fans wishing the original spell had simply been left intact.