Practical Magic 2 comes 28 years after the original film, which I only saw for the first time just before seeing this, and it does seem an unnecessary sequel, but then at least it was based on a book (2021’s The Book of Magic), rather than throwing a script together for the sake of it… maybe.
It can’t be quite that long in their timeline, though, because their daughters – Antonia (Maisie Williams – The New Mutants) and Kylie (Joey King – Despicable Me 4) – are around early to mid-20s, so closer to 20 years have passed, it seems.
The same is the case for both Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock – Bullet Train) and her sister, Gillian (Nicole Kidman – Lioness), but that’s because both actresses have clearly had work done, with Kidman at the point of following-up Sean Hughes’ My Life As A Startled Bunny.
If you’re wondering where’s Gary, then I’m also wondering what happened to Aidan Quinn’s career. He was in loads of things back then, but fell off the map soon after. Alas, for him, he’s brown bread, but it’s happened inbetween films. Yes, there’s the curse where all the men they love die – and he’s apparently snuffed it due to the curse – but I understand in the novel that he had an undetected congenital heart defect.
Evan Rachel Wood was similarly non-plussed that she wasn’t asked to return. And at least her character was still alive!
Anyhoo, who’s also having a bad day? Jet (Dianne Wiest – I Care A Lot), since she’s hearing the deathwatch beetle, which is good in a way, so that you know the end is nigh and can prepare for it, but still a bit of a bugger.
But for now, the whole family’s having a big meal and they’re out of Cool Whip! You can’t have a party without Cool Whip!
As for Sally, she can’t even carry a plate of food without tripping up three times, so clearly the contents are stuck down on the plate!
But love comes quickly, and both Kylie and Gideon (Xolo Maridueña) love each other and want to get married, but he’s run over on his bike! Serves him right for Blue Beetle… as well as the fact he didn’t look where he was going. Will he succumb to the curse? Will he survive? Who will care?
For reasons I never fathomed, Kylie then just abandoned him to head off to London, somehow requiring both Sally and Gillian to follow her – and every one of THEIR scenes involved moving suitcases between various abodes. As such, while Gideon’s in hospital, he was left with Rizzo, as well as Antonia, who just happens to be a doctor and works in the same building.
Kylie also ran off with Jet’s Book of Raven, and…. oh, who cares. There really is no plot in this.
While on their travels, they meet a Professor Ian Wright (Lee Pace – The Running Man) – who’s good at magic stuff, and a young chap named Tom Bailey (Solly McLeod – Star City). From the Thompson Twins? Who’s next? Boy George?
In fact, I lost track of what was going on in Practical Magic 2. The original film was okay, but this is just so tedious, and at a very overlong 130 minutes – 26 mins more than the original – it’s more like a bad three-part mini-series.
NOTE: There are no mid- nor post-credits scenes.
Practical Magic 2 is in cinemas now, and is available to pre-order on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD.
You can also pre-order a Practical Magic / Practical Magic 2 boxset on Blu-ray and DVD.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 130 minutes
Release date: September 11th 2026
Studio: Warner Bros
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (ARRIRAW (6.5K), Anamorphic Atlas Scope)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 0/10
Director: Susanne Bier
Producers: Sandra Bullock, Denise Di Novi, Nicole Kidman
Screenplay: Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, Kelly Marcel
Novel: Alice Hoffman (The Book of Magic)
Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Cast:
Sally Owens: Sandra Bullock
Gillian Owens: Nicole Kidman
Jet: Dianne Wiest
Franny: Stockard Channing
Ian Wright: Lee Pace
Antonia: Maisie Williams
Kylie: Joey King
Gideon: Xolo Maridueña
Tom Bailey: Solly McLeod
Young Kylie: Scarlett Nasrat
Young Antonia: Harriett Scott
Maria Owens: Ema Cavolli
Paula: Katy Wix
Hannah Owens: Cassie Bradley
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.