Review Summary: A sequel that shouldn't have existed, and yet we also kinda needed.
There's a reason why this movie didn't make my Anticipated List for this year. It's because, honestly, should there be a sequel to the 1964 original? Considering it's a prized gem in the Disney family, most would respond with a resounding "NO!" (and original author P.L. Travers wouldn't have wanted it either) Even 54 years later, Poppins remains as one of the best family films ever made. Perhaps the biggest question is, how in the world do you follow up on such a beloved classic?
Well, it needs to be in safe hands. I'll give Disney this, they hired the right people for the job. Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago) is a terrific director with a fine eye for musicality, and Emily Blunt has already proven herself as an actress and performer (and we already know how talented Lin-Manuel Miranda is). The trailers were very promising, but I still was fearing that something could end up going awry.
However, Marshall, Blunt and company pulled off something that I did not see coming. They didn't just do the job, they just about hit a home run. With the exception a few relatively small problems, this sequel is definitely a success. And even if it doesn't quite match the original in the end, at least (thank God) it doesn't come close to embarrassing or drastically changing what came before.
Blunt had the daunting task of being the successor to Julie Andrews. Interestingly, she didn't use Andrews' performance to base her interpretation of the character (she went into Travers' other books instead), and that was perhaps for the best. The actress made the character her own, and gives a performance that is Oscar-worthy. Blunt commands the screen from the moment she descends from the clouds, with grace, poise, and even a little bit of comedy. She's definitely more of a tough nut than Andrews' version, but she masterfully brings to light all of Mary's positive and somewhat egocentric qualities. She also is given a handful of quiet moments that carry unexpected emotional weight. And, did I already mention she's a terrific singer? (Of course, that's a must for Mary to begin with)
The cast in general is fantastic, and no one seems short-changed in terms of screentime. Miranda makes a very charming male lead, even if he doesn't quite carry the over-the-top cartoony persona of Dick Van Dyke. Ben Whishaw proves perfect casting for the now-grown Michael Banks, with a convincing character story arc and a handful of strong scenes. Emily Mortimer provides the perfect counter-balance to Whishaw with optimism and headstrong vibes. Julie Walters is terrific as the housemaid Ellen (and a great successor to Hermoine Baddeley from the original).
Some other more famous names make smaller appearances. Meryl Streep is given the spotlight in one scene as the "Uncle Albert" of this film, Cousin Topsy. With a unique accent and her fantastic singing voice on display, she steals the show. Angela Lansbury graces the screen at the very end with an acting and singing appearance that doesn't sound like its' changed one bit since singing "Beauty and the Beast" for that film over 25 years ago. And, in truly spectacular fashion, Mr. Van Dyke reappears as the son of the banker character he portrayed in the first film. He even gets to sing and dance briefly, a true treat for older fans in the audience.
Now, do Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's (most famous for the Broadway musical Hairspray) tunes top the Sherman Brothers' classics? On first hearing, the answer is no. But, it's unreasonable to expect them to. The fact that the music here remains faithful to the feel of the character and the original movie is a huge accomplishment. Out of the entire soundtrack, "A Cover is Not the Book" is the trippiest and perhaps most memorable number. It's the old-fashioned, catchy tap-dance number that The Greatest Showman so desperately needed. "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" is a worthy successor to "Step in Time", and "The Place Where the Lost Things Go" is this film's "Feed the Birds". With Blunt's gentle vocals, it succeeds in gently tugging on the heartstrings.
It is true that Returns follows some of the same steps as the original story-wise (the very end in particular). But, it also goes in a few different directions as well. There's even one scene when I took a double-take and started to wonder how the film's main problem would be resolved. That's not easy to pull off in a kids' movie. In the meantime, while the film does its best to be entertaining as much as possible, it thankfully never quite pushes Jane and Michael's story to the backseat for too long.
Besides that, there's a lot of creative touches here too. There's a 15-minute sequence of hand-drawn animation (like in the original film) that simply dazzles. It successfully channels 1960's Disney with its characters and expressions, and there's even a unique viewpoint given to the whole situation that wasn't technically possible with the original either. There's also a musical number that takes place 75% of the time underwater (or, should I say, green screen). Thankfully the film is restrained in CGI and green screen effects. Marshall still sticks to practical sets and effects in multiple instances. The costumes and production design are fantastic.
Like the first Poppins, Returns does run over two hours long. However, I think this movie was better-paced than the original. The film keeps moving, and pauses for the right amount of time to reflect. I don't recall a boring stretch in the film at all. There are also a handful of nods to the original, it's characters and it's songs as well, (the latter particularly in Shaiman's score). The opening titles and credits also nearly mirror the original, with old-fashioned paintings and a stirring overture.
On the negative side of things, there are a handful of moments where Returns does fall for the temptation of trying too hard. Some moments feel too over-the-top in their execution (this is also true for a few moments in the score, which otherwise is nicely-done). There's also a handful of times where some elements lean a bit too stagy. One obvious example is Miranda's character appearing out of nowhere at one point in the movie (so we can get to his big number, of course).
Also, the villain of the story (played by Colin Firth) is never really more than a stereotypical kids' movie villain. Beyond the ideas of greed and the desire to win, he lacks a real, true honest reason for why he's doing what he's doing. That being said, it is important to note that the original Mary Poppins had no real villain to begin with. So, frankly, even if having a villain here wasn't the greatest choice, at least he's not given a lot to do to really do much harm to the overall movie.
When watching Returns, I couldn't help but smile. In fact, I smiled through most of the film (and in one or two of the rare moments I didn't, I nearly teared up). I honestly don't think a movie has done that for me in quite some time. And, it's a truly joyful movie that we need more of in this day and age.
By the time it fades to black, you can't help but notice how much care went into this production. This didn't seem like a cash-grab to me. And while it's not groundbreaking, original, or unique like its' predecessor, it's still very clear that the Mouse House really went all out to remain true to the spirit of the original. With an irresistibly-old fashioned panache, great performances and music, and a heartfelt center, Mary Poppins Returns is a sequel that Walt would be proud of.
My Score: 8.6/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Mary Poppins Returns is rated PG for "some mild thematic elements and brief action". Not much here to complain about. In the animated part of the film, there is a somewhat perilous chase scene with a few loud noises. Characters climb and nearly fall off Big Ben. One song (also from the animated segment) features a few mildly adult lyrics ("when he wasn't on the sauce..." "she only wore a smile, plus two feathers and a leaf", and "when you're in your birthday suit"). The Banks children lie once or twice (but are scolded for it). A few somewhat loud explosions courtesy of Admiral Boom. The maid blurts out the British profanity "bloody" once.
