Practical Magic 2

In an age when Hollywood is relying more and more on legacy sequels, Practical Magic 2 comes along looking for a reason to justify its existence.

The 1998 original developed a cult following, especially around Halloween, and now 28 years later, the sequel is hoping to double down on what fans of the original enjoyed so much, more or less.

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman once again return as the Owens sisters, who still dabble in magic and witchcraft. That serves as a curse in the romance department, as any man they or their female descendants fall in love with is doomed to die.

Bullock’s Sally is the main victim of this curse after her husband dies, leaving her alone to raise her daughters Kylie and Antonia (Joey King and Maisie Williams). Of course, she has some help from Kidman’s Gillian and their two aunts (Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing).

Things take a turn for the worse after Kylie falls in love with a boy (Xolo Maridueña) and he goes into a coma. Kylie confronts both Sally and Gillian to see if the curse is true, and then, with the aid of a mystical book, Kylie is off to London to find a way to break it.

Soon Sally and Gillian are off to London, and while they’re there, they encounter a mysterious professor who studies magic (Lee Pace) and quickly takes a liking to Sally. 50 bonus points if you can figure out where this plot thread goes.

The main problem with Practical Magic 2 is that it’s dull, and there’s not much fun with its premise. Instead of a lively adventure with humor and charm, we get a sullen, somber quest where the characters take themselves so seriously it’s like they’re playing chess with the Grim Reaper.

Bullock dominates the majority of the 130-minute screen time, while Kidman is more or less relegated to occasional exposition and being a Deus Ex Machina sort of character during the obligatory climax when Bullock and her daughter get into inevitably grave danger.

The climax itself tries to be a watered-down Harry Potter battle involving another character who might be the daughter’s love interest, but I won’t reveal whether he is or isn’t. That’s another plot development that doesn’t really go anywhere after a modicum of hype.

Practical Magic 2 will no doubt entertain its undemanding target audience, but for me, I accepted this sequel would be a traffic jam of laborious pacing. The storyline does not make me care whether these characters save the day.

These movies are supposedly about magic. They could have used some magic in the script.

Grade: C

(Rated PG-13 for some violent content, suggestive material and brief strong language.)

Reviewer’s Note: I saw this movie at the Historic Strand in Jesup.