With ‘90s nostalgia at its peak, it is no wonder that one of the decade’s best fantasy romances is rising to the top of the HBO Max charts. 28 years after its premiere, Practical Magic is casting a spell on fans who are waiting in anticipation for the upcoming sequel. The film is a magical blend of heartwarming lessons and witchcraft, only a few years after The Craft delivered its Goth version.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as Owens’ sisters Sally and Gillian, respectively. Sally is the more level-headed one while Gillian is a free spirit, but both hold true to the pact they made with each other as children. The Owens aren’t just sisters but witches who are haunted by a generations-long curse. On the surface, this tale is an endearing tale of sisterhood with many sappy moments. However, those going in cold should understand that what seems like a sentimental flick on the surface has a few surprises in store.
‘Practical Magic’ Is More Disturbing Than It Has Any Right to Be
If there is any confusion about the tone of Practical Magic, it is set up in the first moments of the film. The narrative starts with the Owens’ ancestor, Maria Owens, who, after being left pregnant, casts a spell so that she never falls in love again. Over the centuries, this spell turns into a curse that affects the modern Owens women. Any time a witch in their line falls in love, their lover is doomed to die before their time. This is a morbid beginning to a romance that eventually turns even darker.
Throughout all the proclamations of sisterhood and community, Practical Magic turns into a tale close to The Exorcist in the final act. Like any good movie from the ‘90s, Practical Magic shows that rules are meant to be broken. Despite Sally’s inherently good nature, she does not hesitate to kill Gillian’s boyfriend, Jimmy (Goran Višnjić), though it is somewhat of an accident. Attempting to subdue him to stop him from hurting Gillian, Sally laces his drink with too much belladonna, which kills him.
Practical Magic quickly turns into a crime drama with a twist when a detective tries to solve the case of the missing abuser. Gillian and Sally resolve that the only way to escape judgment is to delve into necromancy. There are risks with bringing someone back from the dead, such as summoning evil, but Gillian argues that since Jimmy was always evil, there isn’t much difference.
Of course, this is proven to be incorrect when the women are forced to kill Jimmy again, for good this time. Jimmy doesn’t go away as easily, however, as the deranged spirit takes possession of Gillian’s body. While there are certainly romantic aspects of Practical Magic, the movie is at its best when it delves into the lore of folk magic. Sally has to gather neighborhood women to perform an exorcism on her sister in a high-tension sequence that is adjacent to one of the best horror movies of all time.
This sequence is genuinely terrifying amidst the romantic overtures of the movie, but the horrific events have a purpose. The exorcism goes a long way in curing the Owens family of the curse; at least that is the prevailing theory. Fans may only know for sure when Practical Magic 2 hits theaters. As anticipated as that sequel is, it would be a mistake to forgo the spooky origins of the beloved film.
Witchcraft in the hands of the Owens women is powerful and dangerous. Their ancestor never intended to curse her entire line, but her excruciating loneliness turned a spell on herself into a generational curse. Rules against necromancy have a purpose and for good reason. Practical Magic concludes with the Owens being embraced by their small Massachusetts town, but the horrors of the narrative are what make the decades-old fantasy movie unique.
