Making a long distant sequel to a timeless classic that came out several decades prior is no easy task as expectations are high for that film to meet the standard set by the previous film, with the audience already having the image of the first movie engraved in their minds and expect nothing different. Some examples of sequels made decades after the first film that continue the trend of the previous films are
Superman Returns and
Tron Legacy. Superman Returns followed the events of
Superman l and ll while ignoring everything else in between. It not only attempted to continue the original films story, but reintroduced the character to audiences with Brandon Routh taking on the title role in place of Christopher Reeves. While Routh did the best job he could with Bryan Singers directing and the script he was handed,
Superman Returns turned out to be a box office disappointment while dividing both critics and fans audience reception.
Tron Legacy's reception wasn't much better as the film did reasonably well given the sequel being released a full 28 years after the first film, though didn't exactly set the box office world on fire both critically and financially. With
Mary Poppins Returns, the expectation that Disney placed upon the sequel to the classic original is delivering a film that can serve as being a worthy follow-up to it's predecessor, while reintroducing the main character for audiences. Not only does
Mary Poppins Returns meet the expectations placed upon it, but shatters them with Emily Blunt proving to be a worthy successor to the iconic role famously played by Julie Andrews in the 1964 Disney classic.
Mary Poppins Returns is a rare Disney sequel/reboot that completely does the original justice while reintroducing the characters to a new generation of audiences.
The plot for
Mary Poppins Returns centers around the characters of Jane and Michael Banks from the previous film (Played by both Emily Mortimer and
Skyfall's Ben Whishaw) all grown up but facing their own life struggles with Michael being forced to not only raise his kids as a single parent but potentially lose his house on the side. It's not until the now grown siblings receive a visit from their former spontaneous and magical nanny Mary Poppins (Played by Emily Blunt), that they are reminded that with every job that must be done, there is also an element of fun that comes with it, making the job ultimately turn into a game. Nominated for four Academy Awards, this long-awaited sequel to the original classic picks up where the original story left off decades prior, while maintaining the same style of magic and charm that audiences experienced with the original growing up as kids with a shockingly strong performance from Emily Blunt. The success of this film was always going to hinge on the actress the studio got for the lead role as they not only must possess strong talent, but approach the part with a fearless tone as the inevitable comparison between that person and Julie Andrews performance would certainly be drawn. With Emily Blunt, she rises to the occasion and delivers cheers in regards to pulling off the part beautifully, while giving chills at how good she plays it. The film works not just because of her worthy performance, but also because it maintains a similar tone and feel to the original, even if the films main plot leaves a little to be desired. Despite the scripts issues, the film still manages to cast a familiar family friendly spell upon audiences, that brings both films together. The smartest thing the new
Mary Poppins film does is not try to best or outdo the first film as that would've automatically failed, but goes about being it's own tale while winking at it's predecessor.
The key ingredient to this film connecting with audience lies within the films main performances and surprising to not surprising here, the cast is strong with everyone delivering great performances, particularly Blunt. Emily Blunt's performance is the heart and soul of the movie and the glue that keeps it together when the story struggles to maintain audiences interest after awhile. She's fantastic here as she honors the work Julie Andrews delivered previously, while providing her own stamp with the part. Why Blunt was wrongfully snubbed of a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance here is a mystery as she's well-deserving of one. Ben Whishaw delivers a sympathetic and likable performance as Michael Banks, making the audience feel that his character forgot what having fun means as he struggles with numerous life issues. Whereas Robin Williams Peter Pan forgot how to fly and lost his childish sense of fun in Steven Spielberg's
Hook, Michael's character forgets how to have fun with his kids as he struggles to raise them on his own while fighting to keep a roof over their head as his conniving boss played by
Kingsman's Colin Firth, aims to take his property from him. Whishaw's character carries the dramatic weight of the film and brings it back to reality when the movie goes off the rails with it's moments of whacky fun. Emily Mortimer delivers a likable and charming performance as Michael's sister with her character providing the balance to her brothers serious side. Colin Firth is perfect as the slimy boss of Michael's character named Mr. Wilkins, making the audience despise him as he plans to force his employee out onto the street. Lin-Manuel Miranda steals the show as Jack, delivering charm to the role while impressing with both his acting and singing talents. Joel Dawson, Pixie Davies, and Nathanael Saleh all impress and shine as Michael's kids in the film as they share chemistry working together as a trio along with sharing the screen with Emily Blunt. Other notable supporting roles are Meryl Streep in a surprise supporting performance as Mary Poppins cousin Topsy, which also marks the pairs first appearance on screen together since their work on
The Devil Wears Prada. Streep's role is brief but she ends up stealing the show with her whacky performance, that's both hilarious and fun-spirited, fitting right in with the films tone. Another noteworthy appearance in the film is Angela Lansbury as The Balloon Lady with her musical number adding to the films enchantment. Julie Walters, Jeremy Swift, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and David Warner all deliver strong supporting performances with each actor making the most of their screentime, while adding energy to the films story. The performances from the main cast are perfect and go a long way in terms of adding heart to the film.
The films directing by
Chicago and
Beauty And The Beasts 2017 Rob Marshall is excellent with the Oscar winning filmmaker bringing his A game to the story, giving the film a childlike feel to it that's both magical and enchanting. While Marshall doesn't quite recapture all of the original films magic, he captures enough to make this a visually appealing and heartwarming story that stands on its own. Like with
Beauty And The Beast, Marshall creates a production that feels both grand and lively with the performances being spot-on along with the art-set decoration and costume design. The moments where the main characters sing are well done along with the dance sequences being well-choreographed. The films animation sequences despite being minimal are top notch and used effectively in the film to enhance an already fun and energetic experience. Regardless of whether audiences like or dislike the film, it can't be denied that Marshall is a filmmaker that excels in bringing his stories to life visually as his work on his films delivers a certain flair and style that pays attention to detail. No to mention he does a brilliant job of blending classical Disney magic with old school British charm. In terms of directing, Rob Marshall succeeds in recreating the world that older audiences experienced as kids when they watched the original
Mary Poppins, while ultimately making them feel like children again with his nostalgic approach to handling the story. The score by Mark Shaiman is perfect, making it worthy of its Oscar nomination with the films song "The Place Where Lost Things Go", being a great addition to the films story along with "A Cover Is Not A Book." Both songs are funny, charming, sentimental, and add a lot of emotional weight to the story.
The films screenplay by David Magee, Rob Marshall, and John DeLuca does a damn good job of putting together a story, that can connect with the original while being its own film. Choosing to focus on the young siblings from the first movie as adults now was a smart move and added relatability with the characters to the audience. The film tackles themes pertaining to aging, the loss of a loved one, love, family, greed, magic, imagination, and remembering that life is not all seriousness but can also be fun and games. The message that the film ultimately delivers says that adults can often forget how to be children, and that they shouldn't forget what it's like to be a child nor lose that innocence. With the sequel tackling serious themes in the midst of all the fun and games, it makes it believable to the audience that Mary Poppins character would return to help the family she once cared for decades prior. As good as the writing is, the film can't help but fall into the conventional cliches of a traditional Disney film such as Colin Firth's main character feeling like a generic Disney villain, who must ruin the Banks families lives by swindling them of their fortune. While the films side characters outside of the Banks family are interesting, they also come across as feeling one-dimensional and just there for convenience to help push the story and characters forward without having much development of their own. The films strongest points are the beginning with the script setting up the Banks family and the obstacles they face in this sequel, while reintroducing Mary Poppins to the Banks family as well as the audience. The writers do such a good job of weaving her character back into the story with it feeling like she never left as she just shows up and begins assisting the Banks family without question. The films middle portion will divide audiences as it moves rather slow once Poppins returns and the anticipation wears off with Michael's kids shown to wonder around town with Poppins with the subplot involving Firth's character attempting to take the Banks property being resurfaced as a reminder to audiences about the films main conflict. The movies third act pays off strongly with the Banks family along with Poppins help, end up stopping their property from being taken along with a surprise cameo from Dick Van Dyke reprising his role as Mr. Dawes Jr. As far as the writing goes,
Mary Poppins Returns works well as a family drama that manages to fairly recapture a large portion of the fun, the spirit, and the magic of the original film.
Overall, the film works very well as being a worthy continuation of the classic 1964 Disney classic that starred Julie Andrews, with Emily Blunt proving to be a sensational successor to the role. Not everyone will like the film and will hold it to a high standard considering what it's a follow-up to. While it's true that the sequel doesn't match the same quality of its predecessor nor exceeds it in quality, it does a fantastic job of being a well-executed sequel that's totally deserving of its title. While Andrews performance will always be considered the gold standard of how to portray the iconic character, audiences will get a kick out of Blunts approach to the character adding a funny, stern, and warm side to Poppins, along with her character appearing to know more than she leads on. Both performances are great in their own ways and deserve to be celebrated for their own different styles and approaches to the character. With
Mary Poppins Returns, director Rob Marshall proves once again that he is the ideal director to properly take a classic Disney material and reimagine it on the big screen for a new generation of audiences. The film does a beautiful job of drawing audiences back into the world of
Mary Poppins with the cinematography, art-set decoration, and costume design being a perfect blend along with the films strong musical aspects and terrific performances.
Returns was not just one of the best films to come out in 2018, but is proof that it's possible to properly reboot a classic Disney story decades later and have it actually work. The film dazzles and enchants its audience along with delivering a heartfelt message to them, which says that when times get rough, its always good to have moments of fun and be a kid again.
Mary Poppins Returns is all heart and charm with the end result being a worthy successor to the first.
Final Verdict: For Disney fans and fans of the original
Mary Poppins, the sequel is a must see.
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