Halloween is finally here, and plenty of people like to watch some spooky content as a result. In addition to the best horror movies, there are also seasonal favorites like Practical Magic (with the original streaming with an HBO Max subscription). I took the time to finally watch its sequel, and now I'm mad about its poor reviews.
Practical Magic 2's reviews were pretty poor, despite how long fans waited for the book-to-screen adaptation to return to the big screen. At first, I thought it was possible that the sequel didn't deliver the same charm as its predecessor, but after watching it for myself, I think that critics were way too hard on Susanne Bier's movie.
Practical Magic 2's Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Criminal
The first Practical Magic suffered from poor reviews, and history unfortunately repeated itself with the second film. In fact, Practical Magic 2's Rotten Tomatoes score is sitting at a dismal 36%. I originally gave reviewers the benefit of the doubt, but after seeing the movie myself I think folks were way too hard on it.
Obviously there were high expectations for Practical Magic 2, and it's impossible to match the same charm as the original cult classic. Still, I thought the long-awaited sequel was still a super enjoyable ride. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman's chemistry is electric, as is the bond between Joey King and Maisie Williams as Sally's daughters.
For what it's worth, I'm not alone here. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score is a glowing 90%. This isn't the first time fans and critics disagreed, but that's quite the discrepancy. Now I'm feeling way less crazy about how much I enjoyed Practical Magic 2.
From the minute I heard the franchise's theme song and saw the Owens house in the sequel, I was hit with nostalgic feels. It felt great seeing Kidman and Bullock together on the big screen, especially since they also reunited with the great Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest. Unfortunately, the latter's character, Jet, died fairly early into its runtime
On top of the charming fun of the movie, I was moved by its story about grief and loneliness. The stakes of the movie felt higher than its predecessor, but Practical Magic 2 still brought everything that fans of the original were hoping for. That includes midnight margaritas, plenty of spells, and the Owens women jumping off of the roof with their umbrellas.
Having seen a bunch of long-awaited sequels that were actually awful (I'm looking at you, Independence Day: Resurgence), I'm a little tiffed that this one got such a bad rap. Luckily, audiences agree with me, and I have to assume plenty of fans will be watching it to celebrate the end of spooky season.
Practical Magic 2 is available to rent and purchase now digitally as part of the 2026 movie release list. If you were curious about the movie, don't let the poor reviews discourage you!
