Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s incredible chemistry powers a heartfelt sequel that takes too long to find its strongest magic.
Before Practical Magic 2 was announced, I randomly rewatched the original movie while flipping through streaming channels. I am not exactly the target audience for Practical Magic, but I was reminded of how unique the movie was and how confidently it created its own identity.
It was romantic, funny, dark, and supernatural without fitting neatly into one category. More importantly, it built a devoted fan base that kept the Owens sisters alive for decades.
When the sequel was officially announced, I honestly could not fathom it. Practical Magic never felt like a movie that was setting up another chapter, especially after so much time had passed. Then I asked myself a simple question: Why not?
The Owens family mythology could easily expand into multiple movies. Its generational curses, complicated romances, and history of powerful witches provide more than enough material. Decades later, Warner Bros. finally decided to continue the story.
I rewatched Practical Magic once again before walking into my screening of the sequel. This time, I kept wondering what the filmmakers could do with Sally and Gillian Owens after all these years.
Practical Magic 2 surprised me in a good way.
Sandra Bullock And Nicole Kidman Bring Back The Magic
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman have some of the best chemistry I have seen between two stars on screen in quite some time.
Their connection never feels like two actors returning for a long-awaited sequel. Bullock and Kidman genuinely feel like sisters who have spent decades loving, supporting, and occasionally frustrating each other.
Sally and Gillian have grown older, but their core personalities haven’t changed. Sally remains protective and cautious, while Gillian still carries a more spontaneous energy. The years between movies have added new layers to their relationship without changing why audiences loved them in the first place.
Bullock and Kidman are at their best during the movie’s quieter scenes. Their conversations carry a familiarity that exposition can’t create. A look, pause, or small reaction can communicate years of shared history.
Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest also return as Franny and Jet. With all four actresses back, Practical Magic 2 has the bones in place to deliver a worthy new chapter.
Channing and Wiest don’t seem to generate applause or repeat memorable moments. Franny and Jet remain important parts of the Owens family, and their presence brings back the warmth that made the original movie special.
The returning cast made me wish this sequel had happened much sooner. Practical Magic 2 proves these characters can still carry a movie, but waiting nearly three decades creates an unusual problem. The long gap could help the sequel through nostalgia or hurt it, since some viewers may no longer feel invested.
Some sequels arrive too late for audiences to care.
Despite being a solid continuation, Practical Magic 2 could also be the final chapter. I am not convinced we’ll get another movie, and I don’t see an urgent reason to continue after this one.
The Owens Family Curse Returns
Practical Magic 2 once again finds the Owens family haunted by the curse that has shaped their lives and romantic relationships. This time, they learn there may be a way to get rid of it permanently.
I do not want to reveal much more about the plot because its discoveries and magical complications are a major part of the experience. The marketing only scratches the surface of what the family faces.
The movie takes a while to reach the nitty-gritty of its story. At approximately two hours and 10 minutes, the pacing is slower than it needs to be.
Practical Magic 2 is not boring. It simply spends too much time setting up its characters, explaining the family’s latest problem, and delaying the larger conflict. A tighter first act would have allowed the story to establish its stakes sooner.
The slower pace comes with one major benefit: We receive plenty of screen time with the characters we care about most.
Bullock, Kidman, Channing and Wiest are not pushed aside to make room for younger stars. The sequel understands that audiences have waited decades to reunite with these women. It gives them enough time to reconnect, argue, laugh and face the consequences of their family history together.
Longtime fans will also find plenty of charm, callbacks, and Easter eggs. Some references are obvious, while others reward anyone who recently revisited the original.
The nostalgia rarely overwhelms the new story. Practical Magic 2 remembers its history without becoming a collection of recycled scenes.
Lee Pace is another welcome addition.
He is perfectly suited to this world and brings effortless charm to the movie. It is hard to discuss his involvement without entering spoiler territory, but Pace knows exactly what kind of movie he is in.
Joey King and Maisie Williams are also great additions to the cast. They bring younger energy to the Owens family without turning the movie into an obvious launchpad for a replacement franchise.
However, recasting Sally’s daughters may be controversial among longtime fans. Alexandra Artrip and Evan Rachel Wood originally played Antonia and Kylie, so their absence will be noticeable.
It is a shame neither actress returned, especially when the sequel places so much importance on family history and welcomes back several original cast members. Still, the recasting makes sense if the filmmakers wanted younger stars without aging Sally, Gillian, and the entire timeline too dramatically.
King and Williams do enough to make the transition work. They feel like part of the Owens family, not characters added solely to attract a younger audience.
Family And Love Matter More Than Magic
The most important parts of Practical Magic 2 are not its spells, curses, or supernatural battles. Its themes about family, love, and living without fear give the sequel its emotional weight.
The Owens women have spent generations dealing with the consequences of a curse tied to love. The sequel explores how that pain continues moving through a family until someone finally decides to confront it.
The film offers several tender moments between the women, especially when it focuses on what they are willing to sacrifice for one another. It also understands that living isn’t about taking a few small chances. Sometimes, it means throwing yourself into life completely, even when love brings the possibility of devastating loss.
Practical Magic 2 has plenty of humor and moonlit charm, but it is not afraid to become serious. It features acts of heroism, dangerous magic, and a deadly supernatural confrontation.
The movie raises the stakes without forgetting that this story has always been about the Owens women protecting their family.
The Owens house and its detailed set design are among my favorite parts of Practical Magic 2. Everything looks lived-in and completely real, from the cozy rooms to the smallest magical details. It feels less like a movie set and more like a genuine home filled with generations of Owens family history. If the house actually existed, I would be ready to visit it tomorrow.
Verdict
Practical Magic 2 may have arrived much later than expected, but the sequel treats its characters and audience with respect. It has enough nostalgia to satisfy longtime fans while using the Owens curse to explore family, love, and the importance of truly living.
Practical Magic 2 in theaters September 10.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
