Nearly three decades later, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are back as Sally and Gillian Owens in Practical Magic 2. Seeing the sisters together again is undeniably fun, but this long-awaited sequel never manages to recreate the spell of the original.
Always Throw Salt Over Your Left Shoulder
To be fair, 1998’s Practical Magic has always had its flaws. The plot was messy, the tonal shifts were interesting, and the critics were not exactly kind. Still, audiences fell in love with it because of everything surrounding that imperfect story: the fierce sisterhood, the unforgettable soundtrack, the gorgeous cottage, the witchy New England atmosphere, and the fantasy of being awakened for midnight margaritas before helping your sister break a family curse.
It gave us lavender for luck, chocolate cake for breakfast, and a house generations of fans have dreamed of living in. That cozy, gothic atmosphere turned the movie into a seasonal tradition. Practical Magic 2 understands that nostalgia is its greatest advantage, but too often it simply references what audiences loved instead of capturing the feeling behind it.
The sequel follows the Owens family as another generation becomes entangled in the centuries-old curse haunting their bloodline. They can’t fall in love with a man, or he will die. Sounds like the perfect time to introduce a witch who falls for a woman, right? But we will get into that later.
Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia, are now played by Joey King and Maisie Williams, while Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return as the beloved aunts Franny and Jet.
Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman and a Very Shirtless Lee Pace
At times, the reunion works. Bullock and Kidman still possess the kind of natural chemistry that makes Sally and Gillian feel like sisters with an entire lifetime of shared history. Their relationship was the beating heart of the original. And honestly, in another life, they might even be lovers, but that is unfortunately a different story.
Lee Pace’s turn as a charming, tattooed warlock who spends a welcome amount of time shirtless should not be underestimated, either. He is undeniable eye candy, but even that isn’t enough to save the film from its predictable plot and extended runtime.
The next generation also struggles to create that same emotional pull. King and Williams are both strong additions to the Owens family, but Kylie and Antonia spend too little time together for their bond to feel as convincing as the one between Sally and Gillian. We are told that this is another story about sisters willing to do anything for one another, yet the movie rarely slows down long enough to let us truly experience that connection.
Is Practical Magic 2 Gay?
Then there is the disappointing absence of the lesbian storyline many queer fans hoped to see. The sequel draws from Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, in which Antonia is a lesbian medical student who falls in love with a woman named Ariel. With Williams cast as Antonia, there was real excitement surrounding the possibility of finally welcoming a lesbian witch into the cinematic Owens family.
That representation never materializes in a meaningful way. It is an especially frustrating choice for an adaptation built around women whose power comes from refusing to live by society’s expectations. The source material already offered the sequel an organic opportunity to expand the Owens family and give queer viewers a love story of their own. Instead, that magic is left on the page.
Practical Magic 2 wants to cast the same spell as its predecessor. It brings back familiar faces, revisits beloved traditions, and offers audiences another chance to step into the Owens family’s world. Yet nostalgia can only carry a movie so far.
The original taught us that there is a little witch in all of us. Sadly, this sequel could have used a little more witch in it.