Star Chemistry Saves ‘Practical Magic 2’ From Being Hocus Pocus

A few spells get cast during the movie “Practical Magic 2,” a sequel to the 1998 original. Yet the only one that lasts is the one conjured by its two stars: Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Despite a plot involving a book of incantations, black magic, and a trip to mystical England, the film’s real enchantment lies with its leads and their ability to transcend mediocre material without a trace of self-importance or embarrassment. That they’ve done it twice now—for the first film was hardly a classic either—surely signifies that some sorcery is at work; that “star power” is more than just an empty phrase.Like the prior picture, the new one is based on a novel by author Alice Hoffman, 2021’s “The Book of Magic,” a sequel to her “Practical Magic” bestseller from 1995 about two sister witches. The new movie also shares its precursor’s uneven tone, veering from tragic melodrama and an obsession with death to a lighthearted sororal romp and romantic comedy. This loopy quality eventually transformed the original, a box-office disappointment, into a cult film of sorts. While intermittently eccentric and entertaining, the new film is unlikely to gain a similar following, mainly due to its uninspired plot and dull imagery. Still, with two bewitching stars playing Sally and Gilly Owens, the feature is sure to mesmerize moviegoers, at least when it doesn’t seem like a low-rent Harry Potter spin-off. It begins like most sequels, by referencing its first incarnation and recapping events. We subsequently learn that Gary, the man Sally (Ms. Bullock) kisses near the end of “Practical Magic,” died years earlier — another victim of the Owens family curse damning any true love of a family member to die a tragic untimely death. Having lost two great loves, Sally has renounced witchcraft and cast a spell on her young daughters to make them forget both their powers and their heritage. Before one can suss out the “can’t escape your past” theme on one’s own, a similar statement is made early on by a character, demonstrating the blunt nature of much of the script.That past arrives when Gideon, the boyfriend of Sally’s daughter Kylie, now a young woman in college, is involved in an accident. With scenes rushing by so quickly, it was unclear whether Sally had counted on her daughters never loving anyone — a rather ridiculous proposition — or had cast an additional spell ensuring they remained loveless — a cruel fate to bequeath to one’s children. In any case, the truth comes out when Gideon ends up in a coma, and Kylie, who senses something is amiss, confronts her mother and aunt Gilly (Ms. Kidman). In a tense scene, Gilly reveals the secret of the family’s otherworldly dealings, with Sally deeply disappointed in her sister for behaving as if she were Kylie’s mother. Ms. Bullock and Ms. Kidman are particularly dynamic as they argue, causing one to wish for more scenes like it, but, alas, this film is not a hard-hitting family drama. The plot really kicks in when Kylie decides to break the curse and save her lover’s life with a small magic book and only the vaguest sense of what to do with it. She heads to England, followed by her mother and aunt who believe her life to be in danger. Once there, Sally and Gilly connect with Ian Wright (Lee Pace), a so-called scholar of magic, who might or might not be involved in darker arts and out to trap the Owen sisters. As the handsome Ian helps Sally reclaim her witchiness or something, the film turns into a romcom slash fantasy quest with Voldemort vibes, complete with scenes cutting between the budding couple (along with Gilly) and Kylie as the former track the latter from London to a quaint English village.During the first act and even among later, more frantic stretches, certain moments of charm, if not exactly magic, materialize, such as a touching early scene involving Dianne Wiest’s great-aunt character Jet, who returns from the first film. Also back for the sequel is Stockard Channing, who brings her signature archness as second great-aunt Frances. Particularly enjoyable is the chemistry between the leads, with Ms. Kidman light and spontaneous and Ms. Bullock coolly and subtly responsive. While the bohemian/straightlaced dichotomy between the two characters can feel simplistic, the actresses’ physical and emotional interplay takes the contrast beyond banality and into authenticity. In essence, the duo appear to be having a lot of fun, a self-reflexive element we filmgoers often require of stars of their caliber.Sally’s daughters Kylie and Antonia, played respectively by Joey King and Maisie Williams, share a similar personality polarity as their mother and aunt and two great-aunts, though without the easy facility of the more seasoned performers. The thickly-browed Mr. Pace more than fits the bill as a soulful, mysterious love interest for Sally as well as a fellow mystic. In one particularly interesting moment, Ian declares “Men can do anything women can do” before the film cuts to Sally and Gilly looking doubtful. This is one of the few instances of implicit feminism besides the general aura of sisterhood. Indeed, even though the sequel is helmed by a woman this time — the proficient Susanne Bier — it could be said that the first was more feminist when one considers its portrayal of the murder of an abusive, sadistic man, allusions to lesbianism, and theme of ostracization. Furthermore, the drab, indifferent look and feel of the latest adds to the blandness, especially when compared with cinematographer Andrew Dunn’s luridly colorful compositions and director Griffin Dunne’s curious choices in the previous movie.While Ms. Bier’s film pays lip service to the concept of “ancestral pain” and lineage, the main ingredients in its cauldron, like its antecedent’s, consist of romance, sibling loyalty, and having fun. Regarding that last element, the story almost concludes before there’s any dancing, a “chick flick” trope that’s nonetheless welcome in “Practical Magic 2.” It may not be practical but it’s certainly joyful.

Star Chemistry Saves ‘Practical Magic 2’ From Being Hocus Pocus

Star Chemistry Saves ‘Practical Magic 2’ From Being Hocus Pocus

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