Review of Mary Poppins Returns (2018) by Ken A — 18 Jan 2019

Sequels to movies from 50 years ago are a dicey proposition that even the most cynical of studios balk at. Not so, for the House of Mouse, apparently. Of course, they have a better track record than most for "sticking the landing" with all their infinite resources and competent producers. While we certainly didn't need it and no one asked for it, Mary Poppins Returns does just that. We are treated to an airy and colorful excursion that contains a moral center and a message that is sorely missing from children's cinema these days. This follow-up takes place a couple of decades after the original classic. The Banks children are grown up and broke in the middle of the Great Depression and are about to lose their childhood home. Michael himself now has children and has need of a nanny (and moral guidance). Guess who shows up?

This sequel would live or die based upon the performance and casting of its recognizable character. Emily Blunt proves to be an excellent fit for the magical caregiver, albeit a tad bit more vain and prickly than the Julie Andrews version. Supposedly this was because Blunt opted to take it in direction more akin to the novel version originated by P.L. Travers. This is one of those broad PR statements that's hard to prove one way or another, and I suspect this defense was created in hindsight. Either way she kills it with the charm and sharp wit one would expect. (Btw Emily Blunt is actually REALLY good in the few action movies she's been in. I don't know why Hollywood has not made her action star.) The interplay she has with the children is quaint and you feel some of that old Disney magic in many of their fantastic interludes. It was nice to see hand-drawn animation for one of the more memorable sequences, though some of the CGI used in others was a bit...umm terrible. The musical numbers themselves are...decent but not exceptional or ones that you'll be singing years later. The famous songs from the original were scored and written by the Sherman Brothers, who were masters of their craft. There's simply no comparison between the two.

There are numerous supporting characters and a lot of cameos to be had. Lin Manuel-Miranda really shines and he fills in nicely for Dick Van Dyke. Emily Mortimer is quite lively and charming, while Ben Whishaw carries a lot of the dramatic work of the film. Meanwhile Colin Firth is a little TOO good as a slimy villain. Overall, Mary Poppins Returns is a fine family outing and has the right magic to pull off the impossible. That being said, WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE. This was FINE. In Russian Roulette you can get two clicks and survive. It doesn't mean you get THREE. And yeah that analogy was pretty dark for a review of a Disney movie. Don't lie. That's why you read my reviews.