Practical Magic 2 Divides Critics Ahead of Release

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

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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.

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