Years of reviewing cinematic flicks have left me with a very "black hat" approach to film watching. If you were ever taught Thinking Skills in school you would be aware that the black hat of the group is always able to point out the flaws and negative aspects of a project, unlike the white hat, which takes note of the great aspects.
I spent much of my time watching this film looking for CGI that lacked authenticity, and other parts of the film that seemed otherwise disingenuous. But after Emily Blunt's first major song Can you Imagine That?, you are suddenly reminded of what Mary Poppins is all about; the suspension of belief.
Forgetting all of the things that we would otherwise be critical of a film for, Mary Poppins Returns gives everything that the original film became famous for. You have multiple catchy repetitive songs that the children will be singing non-stop, lengthy dance choreographies, and the usual mix of live action and animation.
I spent much of my time watching this film looking for CGI that lacked authenticity, and other parts of the film that seemed otherwise disingenuous. But after Emily Blunt's first major song Can you Imagine That?, you are suddenly reminded of what Mary Poppins is all about; the suspension of belief.
Forgetting all of the things that we would otherwise be critical of a film for, Mary Poppins Returns gives everything that the original film became famous for. You have multiple catchy repetitive songs that the children will be singing non-stop, lengthy dance choreographies, and the usual mix of live action and animation.
You can't gauge this film by the normal categories. The best way to look at the film is to compare it to the original, as the original broke so many barriers. You will find it follows much of the same tropes as the original. Whether it be the relevance of the kite, the presence of musical numbers, classic Disney animated animals, and dance choreography in olden times.
The film harkens back to the original film focusing on the next generation after Jane and Michael Banks, the children of the original film. We get to see the continuation of Bert's apprentice from the original film, Ellen the housekeeper, Admiral Boom, and Mr Binnacle, 25 years after the conclusion of Mary Poppins.
There is a certain want for children to be responsible from the earliest point possible, but Mary Poppins Returns is a suitable reminder that responsibilities are the responsibility of the parent and that children thrive on allowing the imagination to run wild.
The only real disappointment is that the sequel took 54 years to be filmed and released, one of the longest gaps between films. This makes it all the more clear that this is just a cash grab from Disney. If there was a proper sequel organised, it would not have taken 54 years to create. This was created purely to make money. In fact, despite the number of recurring characters, only two of the actors/actresses were able to make appearances in the sequel, neither of which were the part that they were originally cast, as the sequel takes place 25 years after the original.
As far as casting goes, Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda do well to try to encapsulate the personalities of the characters of Mary Poppins and the lamplighter who takes the place of the lovable chimney-sweep of the original.
The films pacing originally comes off rather slow but accelerates at a reasonable pace. Moving from a somewhat stale move towards something much more enjoyable. You soon forget that this is a bunch of new actors and actresses trying to continue a legacy, and start just looking at the fun of the film on its own.
How is the CGI? It's obvious.
Are the actors different? Very obviously.
Does the sequel hold up to the vibe of the original? Eventually, yes. And that is really the important thing.
It is strange to think of adults learning lessons from a children's movie, but Mary Poppins Returns served as a reminder to not take everything so seriously.
A surprising must-watch for anyone who enjoyed the original.