MARY POPPINS RETURNS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

After its release in 1964, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins went on to be a big success, both at the box office and at the Academy Awards, earning Julie Andrews her first Oscar for her performance as the titular magical nanny. Because of its success, a sequel would be released a few years later, however, the author of the books Mary Poppins was based on, P. L. Travers, was unimpressed with Disney's adaptation, she refused to give the rights for a sequel. After the author passed away in 1996, the Disney producers began thinking about the possibility of a sequel. It wasn't until 2014 when the President of Walt Disney Pictures, Sean Bailey, pitched his idea for a sequel to director, Rob Marshall. With approval from Travers' estate, Disney greenlit the project with the film taking place 20 years after the first, featuring a standalone narrative, based on the remaining seven books in the series. Marshall was hired to direct.

Making a sequel to Mary Poppins over fifty years after its release was always going to be a challenge. The original film has been deemed a classic and one of Disney's best features. The special effects were really impressive at the time too as it mixed live action with animation really well and the performances have all left lasting impressions. This lead to high expectations for Marshall's follow-up.

Mary Poppins Returns is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in P. L. Travers' additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children, Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson), and their housekeeper, Ellen (Julie Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Lin Manuel Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Meryl Streep).

While Mary Poppins Returns isn't as good as its predecessor, it's still a great sequel and it met my expectations. It's fun, lively and there's hardly a dull moment to be found in its 130 minute runtime. The sequel features an impressive ensemble cast, who all give strong performances. While I prefer Andrews' portrayal of Poppins, Blunt does a great job and, by not attempting to copy Andrews, she makes the character her own. Miranda is a scene stealer as Jack, a lamp lighter who is friends with Poppins. Whishaw and Mortimer give solid performances as the now grown-up Michael and Jane. Walters brings comic relief to her portrayal of Elaine, the Banks family's maid. While she only appears in one scene, Streep makes an unforgettable appearance as Poppins' eccentric cousin, Topsy. Colin Firth is best known for portraying likable characters, however, he plays against type as the main antagonist,  William 'Weatherall' Wilkins, the current president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. Cameos come from Dick Van Dyke, who portrayed Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr in the original and returns as Mr. Dawes Jr, and Angela Lansbury who appears at the end of the film as a Balloon Lady. Originally, this part was offered to Andrews, however, she turned it down as she didn't want to steal the limelight away from Poppins, which is a very respectable decision. I think Lansbury was a great choice for this cameo as, like Andrews, she appeared in a Disney classic, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which also combined live-action with animation. The ensemble cast is definitely one of Mary Poppins Returns' biggest highlights. 

While I really enjoyed Mary Poppins, I didn't think that there was much of a story to it, the narrative focused on Poppins taking Jane and Michael Banks on various adventures, which was very entertaining. However, the sequel's plot deals with an adult Michael who is struggling with debt and is heartbroken over the recent death of his wife and mother of his children. Two lawyers turn up at his house and declare that, if he doesn't pay back the money he owes the bank within seven days, he will lose his home. The majority of the sequel focuses on Poppins returning and taking the children on exciting adventures, with the climax featuring a race against time as the characters work together to save the Banks family home. While over two hours may seem a bit long for a family film, there's hardly a dull moment to be found and the feature is full of adventure and energetic songs. Mary Poppins Returns will undoubtedly appeal to children, however, I'm sure it will be enjoyed by older viewers, too, especially those who liked the original. The story doesn't offer anything new and it is predictable, however, that doesn't prevent it from being as entertaining as it is.

One of the most impressive aspects of Mary Poppins was its combination of live-action with animation. Since its release in the early 1960s, special effects have improved a lot, and the same can be said for the sequel. While it would've been easy to use computer generated imagery to create the special effects, Marshall chose to use hand-drawn animation, in order to pay homage to the original. The Disney executives, on the other hand, initially wanted the film to have computer animation for its animated sequences, which infuriated Marshall. He then fought hard to convince the Disney executives to let him use hand-drawn animation, and he also argued why it would be the right choice to use for the film. Ultimately, the Disney executives gave in and allowed Marshall to use hand-drawn animation for the film. The hard work paid off as the live-action/animated sequences is one of the most entertaining scenes from the sequel.

The songs in Mary Poppins were memorable, catchy and emotionally touching, especially the ballad, 'Feed The Birds'.  The music and score for the sequel was composed by Marc Shaiman, with song lyrics written by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. The score includes musical references to the songs and score from the first film written by Richard and Robert Sherman, with the former serving as a music consultant, with Shaiman stating that "if he had something that he thought should have been different or changed, he would have said so. But lo and behold, he didn’t. He was loving what he was hearing, and he really loves the new movie". I think that the new songs are just as memorable, with 'Trip Little Light Fantastic' and 'The Place Where Lost Things Go' being personal favourites. I also really enjoyed 'Can You Imagine That?', a song that takes place inside the children's bath tub and is a fun sequence. 

Mary Poppins Returns ends a year of great films on a high and, while it's not as good as its predecessor, it's still very enjoyable and is the true definition of a family film and will appeal to viewers of all ages.

7/10