Mary Poppins Returns is a 2018 sequel to the original film with Emily Blunt as the iconic Disney character.
It’s been many years since Mary Poppins has been released in theatres, and it still remains as a timeless classic. It’s a triumphant piece of cinema known for its catchy music, touching story and fantastic performances from the cast. And now, we finally have a sequel titled Mary Poppins Returns, which is set almost three decades after the original film. Directed by Rob Marshall, a director recognized for making musicals such as Chicago and Into the Woods, he definitely feels the pressure of bringing back the magic of one of the most iconic Disney characters of all time in another movie. For the most part, he does succeed in making it an enjoyable sequel.
Taking place almost three decades after the first installment, Emily Blunt now plays the caring and magical nanny named Mary Poppins, and she decides to look after the children of a grown-up Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) who’s unfortunately having a financial problem. He has to pay off a banker named William Wilkins (Colin Firth) otherwise his family will be losing their home. Mary Poppins will be doing everything she can to keep his kids happy, and we have ourselves another fun and magical journey with these characters.
While Julie Andrews will always be remembered for her phenomenal performance as the wonderful nanny, Blunt is also outstanding in the role. She honors Andrews’ legacy, and you can feel her passion for wanting to play this character. She’s undeniably the best part of the entire movie, and brings back a sense of nostalgia from the original film. The rest of the cast is also great, especially Lin-Manuel Miranda as the lamplighter Jack. Firth does a good job as the main antagonist, but sadly he’s not in the movie all that much, which makes him a clichéd character that you probably have seen before. There are some moments that will hit you with a nostalgia bomb, and you can’t help but smile when they’re on screen. At times, they do feel derivative, but you’re able to let that go as the film goes on.
The music is also great, while admittedly not as catchy as the original soundtrack. We’re still in love with “A Spoonful of Sugar”, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”, because they’re iconic tunes. All the songs in Mary Poppins Returns are fun, even if some of them aren’t that memorable. However, the dance sequences are top-notch, so obviously you have to praise the choreographer for that. The visuals are quite dazzling, because the filmmakers do an incredible job updating the production values, while still being inspired by the original.
Mary Poppins Returns isn’t as pure as the first movie, but it’s still enjoyable. It’s always hard not to compare the sequel with the original, but you can’t deny that they still carry on the legacy of this recognizable character. If you’re a huge fan of Mary Poppins, you might also enjoy this installment. For the rest of you, this is still a fun time at the cinema that will leave you smiling from start to finish. Its main goal is to be an uplifting journey for the audience, and it works. The magic is still noticeable throughout.