Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Mae Abdulbaki | Film | September 14, 2026
Practical Magic may have become a cult classic in the nearly 30 years since it was released, but I remember it being a very forgettable viewing experience as a kid. Rewatching it in adulthood, it’s admittedly more whimsical than I remember. The characters, namely Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the cursed witch sisters Sally and Gillian, were sweet yet unmemorable, and the eccentric plot was fine but somehow inconsequential. Sisterhood prevailed above everything, and that message sustained the film in even its most jarring moments.
Practical Magic 2, directed by Susanne Beir from a screenplay Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel adapted from Alice Hoffman’s novel, The Book of Magic, attempts to recapture at least some of the offbeat spiritedness of the first film. It succeeds in some instances, and though its plot is a bit more focused this time around and it’s entirely watchable, it’s been stripped of salient ingredients—real consequences for one of its characters and good lighting among them. Sequels should involve character progression, not the retreading of issues and personality traits. If nothing else, Practical Magic 2 turned its focus away from the family dynamics of the Owens family and toward an overlong search and rescue plot that drags the movie down.
It’s been years since the end of the first film. Sally’s daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (an underutilized Maisie Williams), are now in their 20s, but Sally has chosen to raise them entirely without magic. The sisters, who seem close but whose relationship is not given much attention beyond a couple of short scenes, have only heard about this supposed Owens curse that leads to the death of someone they love romantically. Kylie then experiences this first-hand when her boyfriend, Gideon (a wasted Xolo Maridueña), is hit by a car and falls into a coma after she says the three most dreaded words in the Owens household: I love you.
Kylie, with the energy and angst of a teenager who just found out her mother lied to her and, instead of just seeking answers from her own family about the witchcraft she just learned about, runs off to England in search of a way to end the Owens curse and save Gideon via a book of dark magic. I can’t forget to mention that this book has a chapter titled, “How to end the curse,” because it has to be somewhat convenient.
Luckily, Bullock and Kidman still have great chemistry and carry the film on their backs. Their banter is fun and very sisterly, and it’s a joy to watch their interactions. But while Bullock’s Sally gets yet another love interest in Ian (Lee Pace), Kidman’s Gillian is left with nothing, not even a storyline of her own. She’s just along for the ride and shortchanged at every turn. The film is hyperfocused on the Owens family legacy, creating a more expansive mythology around their lineage, where they come from, who was left out, and, yes, even introducing warlocks. It’s simply doing too much, so much so that the pacing drags a bit at some points while feeling rushed in others.
The sequel takes shortcuts to get to the end, and some plot details don’t make much sense. Character interactions don’t get enough room to breathe, and the film often relies on viewer nostalgia instead of building relationships to earn our investment in their journeys. In focusing on Kylie’s need to save Gideon, whose coma gives way to the film’s entire plot (even though he likely would have died instantly after being hit by a car, considering this film’s history with the Owens’ love interest), Practical Magic 2 loses a lot of its essence.
All that said, it’s not entirely unenjoyable. The cast gels well together and, when a good joke finally lands, it’s funny, working its own magic to alleviate the tonal shifts. It’s just unfortunate that none of its better elements are consistent enough to keep the film afloat. Sometimes rushed, sometimes forced, and sometimes just plain eyeroll-worthy, Practical Magic 2 lacks the genuine sentimentality and quirkiness of its predecessor. The best parts of the film are the beginning and very end, which tragically says a lot about everything in the middle.
Practical Magic 2 is now playing in theaters.
