Practical Magic 2 Divides Critics Ahead of Release

•0•0Comment iconComment iconComment iconComment icon

Early reactions to the sequel praise the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, but criticize its runtime and uneven pacing.

Writer image

Translated byEditorial

Writer image

Revised byEditorial

Edit Article

Early reactions to Practical Magic 2: A Love Spell have divided critics ahead of its domestic theatrical release on September 10. The sequel has been praised for bringing back Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, but criticized for its 130-minute runtime, uneven pacing and overabundance of side stories.

One of the harshest reviews came from Marc Zammit, who called the film “horrible” and complained about the presence of five storylines unfolding at the same time. In his view, the production contains little magic and feels like a collection of elements thrown together without any sense of unity.

Simon Thompson also pointed to problems with the story's pacing. He described Practical Magic 2 as a tepid, overlong sequel that fails to recapture the original film's playful charm. The critic also called the third act clumsy and described the result as a wasted opportunity.

The chemistry between Bullock and Kidman emerged as one of the film's most praised aspects. Courtney Howard said the pair carries the movie, although she felt it was about 30 minutes longer than it needed to be. She also criticized the limited exploration of the relationship between the daughters, the soundtrack and the need for audiences to make an extra effort to find thematic resonance.

The new additions to the cast received a warmer response. Tom Chatalbash singled out Joey King, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace, paying particular attention to the latter's charm. In his view, the expansion of the Owens family's mythology creates a fun, cozy adventure with a supernatural mystery that should appeal to fans of the original film.

Even so, the same critic acknowledged that some characters are pushed into the background and that the sequel goes on longer than necessary. Another review summed up the film as a work of highs and lows: Bullock and Kidman remain strong, but the mythology introduces elements that make little sense and, in that critic's view, there is little magic in the production.

References cited

Practical Magic 2

Movie

Practical Magic 2

Practical Magic 2 is an announced sequel to Warner Bros.’ 1998 fantasy film Practical Magic. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are set to reprise their roles as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, according to reports. Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the origi
Sandra Bullock

Person

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is an American actress and producer born July 26, 1964, in Arlington, Virginia. She gained prominence with Speed (1994) and later starred in While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality, The Proposal, The Blind Side, Gravity, and Ocean's
Nicole Kidman

Person

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman is an Australian-American actress and producer, born June 20, 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She gained recognition through films including Dead Calm, To Die For, Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, and The Others. Kidman won the Academy Award for Be

What did you think of this article?

0%
User score (0)

Share this article!

Topics damagiaàseduçãosandrabullock
Send your news