1998’s “Practical Magic”, led by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the Owens family witches, eventually became a cult classic, making its mark with home video releases and subsequent streaming services and social media.

So 28 years later, the original stars are back, the midnight margaritas are back and even the iconic coastal Massachusetts house at the center of the first film was recreated for the ultimate nostalgia experience. So much time has passed since the original film that its ’90s wardrobe is back in style.

But “Practical Magic 2” abandons some of the best elements of the original, including the campy fun that helped it get an unexpected second life.

The first film was a mix of “Death Becomes Her” and “Halloweentown”, but the sequel sacrifices some of the whimsy in favor of a more genuinely scary tone that doesn’t quite fit. While in the original a pentagram is made from whipped cream, in the sequel it is made from fire.

We begin immediately after the 1998 film ended, with the Owens sisters looking into the curse that has plagued their family of witches for generations. After the untimely death of her second husband, Sally becomes a widow once again, as do all the men who fall in love with an Owens woman.

She forces her sister Gillian and her aunts Jett and Frannie to swear that they will not tell their two young daughters about their magical abilities or the curse, and casts a spell to make them forget about their magical childhood. Fast forward to when those young girls become adults and become interested in romance, and chaos ensues.

Sally’s daughter Kylie drives the at times winding plot through her mission to remove the Owens family curse after her boyfriend Gideon slips into a coma. Sally and Gillian follow him to England to try to keep him safe from dark magic.

This is where the spooky-playful energy of the original is switched to a more horror-filled tone. Perhaps the more terrifying elements come with the territory of a major studio’s release during the ever-expanding Halloween season. But “Practical Magic 2” lacks the moments of pure entertainment — like Bullock telling the PTA moms to form a group or Kidman telling neighbors to stay with their husbands when she comes back to town — that made the original film’s darker moments more approachable.

The film still has charming, tender moments, bolstered by its strong performances. The humor is at a high level by Bullock and Kidman, while the emotional impact is deftly played by Channing, Wiest and King.

Lee Pace plays a charming British scholar of witchcraft and magic who helps Sally and Gillian in their quest to save Kylie, while also acting as a love interest for the romance-resistant Sally.

But the film’s strongest bond is between Bullock and Kidman, who are good friends offscreen. Their bond with each other, and with director Susan Bier, who worked with each of them, has sustained the long sequel.

Like the original, the sequel features a strong soundtrack and score that helps carry the story back and forth between lighter and darker moments. Don’t worry, Stevie Nicks is back. As is Harry Nilsson’s “Coconuts”.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ release “Practical Magic 2,” which opened in theaters Thursday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for some violent content, suggestive material and brief strong language. Running time: 130 minutes. Two out of four stars.

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