Practical Magic 2 sequel is showing in Australia
Australian cinemas are showing Practical Magic 2, a sequel to the 1998 film about the Owens family. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman have returned to the roles of Sally and Gillian, while Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing once again play aunts Jet and Frances.
As ABC News Australia reports, 28 years have passed since the first film was released. In the sequel, Sally has lost another husband to the Owens family curse, under which everyone they love dies. After that, she gave up magic. Her daughters, Kylie and Antonia, have grown up without remembering their family's magical past.
A new generation of Owens
Kylie, played by Joey King, is in graduate school and falls in love with student Gideon, played by Xolo Maridueña. Antonia is played by Maisie Williams; her character works as a nurse. King and Williams replaced Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip, who played the younger Owens in the first film.
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When Gideon's life is threatened, Kylie travels to England to seek her magical roots. Sally and Gillian follow her and turn to Professor Ian Wright, an expert in witchcraft played by Lee Pace, for help.
Assessment of the sequel
The film was directed by Susanne Bier. An ABC News Australia reviewer notes that the director managed to recreate the visual tone of the original: the Owens house, filled with candles, flowers and family portraits, appears on screen again. At the same time, the review notes that the de-aging of Kylie and Antonia raises questions about the plot's chronology.
In the reviewer's opinion, the sequel has a larger scale, more stars and special effects, but falls short of the first installment in emotional power. The sequel retains the theme of magic as a metaphor for female strength, but focuses more on the fantasy component. The review calls the interaction between Bullock, Kidman, Wiest and Channing the film's strongest aspect.
