Children, grab your pitchforks: the adults are jaded again! Or at least that’s what Disney wants you to believe with its second live-action film of the year featuring the same recurring theme. Unlike Christopher Robin, Mary Poppins Returns has more to live up to seeing as it’s the sequel to one of the most beloved films of all time. Also unlike Christopher Robin (or the original Mary Poppins for that matter), Mary Poppins Returns falls short of being anything memorable.
No longer featuring the talents of Julie Andrews, but rather Emily Blunt, this much-anticipated sequel sees Poppins returning to help the grown-up Banks children from the original, Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer), with their own children. Michael, who has lost his wife, is now on the brink of having his home repossessed. With stress mounting and concern whether he can take care of his children properly, Mary Poppins floats in to lend her magical expertise and help.
Being a sequel to one of the most iconic films of all time is difficult. Adapting a role that has left imprints on the minds of millions of children is even harder. Yet, Mary Poppins Returns somehow gets the harder challenge right by casting Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins. Blunt brings a certain sass, spunk, and liveliness to the role while keeping the spirit of Julie Andrews’ Poppins alive and well. There is a certain spark you get when Blunt comes on screen. She has such a powerful on-screen presence that every time she isn’t the focal point, the film becomes duller. Of all the awards that Mary Poppins Returns seems to be getting nominated for, Blunt for best actress is completely justified.
In terms of everything else, Mary Poppins Returns falls flat. For a musical, the songs are nothing special. Although the songs of Mary Poppins are similar to those in Mary Poppins Returns, originals like ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ and ‘Let’s Go Fly A Kite’ always ring in my head after a showing. In Mary Poppins Returns, that isn’t the case. Every song sounds the same and walking out of the theater, I couldn’t remember a single lyric. All I could remember was the similar upbeat tune used in every song.
With unmemorable music, I hoped that at least the choreography could save the day. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Despite Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda’s (who plays Jack, an off-brand version of Bert from the original) all-out effort to make each dance enjoyable, each scene drags on due to the lack of direction by director Rob Marshall and his insistence on making every scene longer than it should be. The way everything is framed and shot, particularly with an overabundance of close-ups showcasing a smiling Jack, is bland. The film is also strangely gray and gloomy throughout, throwing off the whole mood. Even an interesting and electric dance scene involving street lights becomes increasingly boring as Marshall drags the scene beyond its limits.
Without catchy songs or invigorating dance sequences, the absence of a plot sticks out badly. In part because of a flat backend of the film, Mary Poppins Returns forgets it needs a plot in the middle and instead focuses on depicting the silly adventures Poppins and the children embark on, which I might add, includes another long and unnecessary dance scene but this time with Meryl Streep. Near the end, the film suddenly ends the antics and jumps back into its plot, dominating the last 50 minutes and completely shifting the tone. The build-up to the finale is never fully fleshed out, and it never feels like there is truly a race against time. Ultimately, it became almost impossible to buy the suspense of the story itself.
Despite its flaws, Mary Poppins Returns is still an enjoyable movie experience. The 2D animation scene is remarkable and had me smiling from ear to ear, and although Mary Poppins herself would dismiss the notion of magic being involved, Mary Poppins Returns still has that magical, feel-good Disney quality that never ceases to put a smile on my face.
Rating: 3/5