Practical Magic 2 movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: Practical Magic 2

The sequel to the popular sister-witches movie is now playing on streaming platforms, just in time for Halloween!

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 2 hrs 10 mins

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

Featured Product About This Movie:

The Book of Magic (Practical Magic) novel by Alice Hoffman

In total, there are 4 books in the series: the original, a sequel, and 2 prequels. Would you want to see the prequels as movies?

IN A NUTSHELL: Grab your broomsticks and dust off your salt shakers! Decades after the beloved original cult classic, the Owens family is back in Practical Magic 2. Academy Award winners Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their roles as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, bringing along the next generation of magical ladies.

When a tragic accident leaves a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, the family must embark on a journey overseas to confront the roots of the ancestral Owens curse before it destroys their happiness for good.

This is the second-to-last film released by Warner Bros. before the studio’s acquisition by Paramount Skydance on October 6, 2026. The film was directed by Susanne Bier. Film critics gave the movie an abysmal score of 36% on the Rotten Tomatoes meter, while fans loved it, awarding it a 90% score.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Some scary dark magic visuals, tense peril, and atmospheric horror elements.

• Emotional grief and themes dealing with death and loss.

• Brief strong language, including 1 F-bomb

• Alcohol consumption

• Mild romantic sensuality

THEMES:

• Family bonds
• Sisterhood (At the end of the film and before the rolling credits, there is a title card that states the producers dedicate the movie to their sisters.)
• Magic
• Forgiveness
• Overcoming trauma
• Love
• Maternal strength
• Sacrifice for others
• Life after death
• It’s not good to hide our family’s ancestry. Ever wonder about yours? My twin sister and I wrote a how-to book that is FREE on Amazon during Halloween and “Day of The Day” celebrations this year! Check it out! If you enjoy it, please leave a positive review! Thank you so much! That helps a ton!

Amazon link:  https://amzn.to/49PmQmU

THINGS I LIKED:

• There is undeniable, electric chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, who haven’t aged a day.

• Having Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing return as Aunts Jet and Franny from the original Practical Magic brings an incredible wave of nostalgia and charm. The two are both alive and well! Wiest won an Oscar, and Channing was nominated for other films.

• The cozy, magical aesthetic and lush production design set in scenic England and coastal towns is absolutely charming. I love traveling in movies! Rather than recreating the witches’ home in Coupeville, Washington on Whidbey Island, the entire production took place in England. There are several scenes in this film that take place at a castle ruins in England, which is the same castle used as “Locksley Castle” in the fun Kevin Costner movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves! I loved that movie! I did think it was ridiculous that everyone in the movie spoke with a British accent except Kevin Costner.

• Joey King and Lee Pace make wonderful additions to the ensemble cast.

• For a romantic comedy, the film’s length is a bit much. The good news is that fans of the original movie won’t mind a bit. I didn’t.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• The plot gets a bit convoluted and crowded when traveling across the pond to unravel the curse’s origins.

• The pacing drags slightly in the middle hour before reaching the emotional climax.

• There’s quite a bit of plastic surgery going on.
• It’s too bad that Evan Rachel Wood wasn’t asked back for this sequel, especially since she really wanted to reprise her role in the original. Alexandra Artrip was also excluded. Supposedly, it was because the daughters were supposed to be just out of college, and the previous actresses were too old now. That’s Hollywood for ya!
• Alan Silvestri composed music for the original film, but was not asked to return for the sequel.
• The director of the original movie, Griffin Dunne, also didn’t return.
• Sadly, it is estimated that Warner Brothers lost $115 million on this movie.
• Very little is offered for the witches to fall deeply in love with various men, forcing the plot of romance.
• LGBTQ fans of the book series will probably be disappointed that some plot points have been changed for the film. For example, Maisie Williams’ character in the book is a lesbian who has a baby boy with a gay male friend so that she can raise it with her girlfriend.

FUNNY LINES:

• “I thought we agreed no more summoning men, dead or alive!”

• “There is a fine line between a cozy family gathering and an accidental coven meeting.”

INTERESTING LINES:

• “Curse or no curse, love is always worth the risk.”

• “Magic isn’t just spells and potions; it’s the strength of the women holding your hand.”

• “Every family has its trauma.”
• “A life without magic is no life at all.”
• “Love is what matters the most.”
• “Live a little. “Live a lot.”

MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

• Practical Magic (1998)

• Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

• The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

WATCH THE Movie Review Mom YOUTUBE REVIEW WITH THIS LINK: Coming soon!

@MovieReviewMom @TrinaBoice

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Dr. Trina Boice is a university professor, author of 36 books, professional author coach, YouTuber, podcaster, film critic, and mom of 4 awesome sons.