Movie · 2018 · Fantasy, Family, Comedy · 2h 11m · PG · English
Curator score: 2.4/10 (340.3K ratings)
Magic always returns.
Overview
Mary Poppins returns to the Banks family and helps them evade grave dangers by taking them on magical, musical adventures.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.4/10
IMDb: 6.6/10
Letterboxd: 3.03/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Metacritic: 66
TMDB: 6.5/10
Director
Rob Marshall
Production
Walt Disney Pictures, Marc Platt Productions, Lucamar Productions
Cast
Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Julie Walters, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Jeremy Swift, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Jim Norton, Noma Dumezweni, Tarik Frimpong, Sudha Bhuchar, Steve Nicolson
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A polished, old-school family musical with real charm, especially in Emily Blunt’s performance and the production design, but it often feels overstuffed, overly reverent, and emotionally thinner than it wants to be. If you want a glossy holiday-season comfort watch with songs, spectacle, and gentle magic, it works; if you need the snap and wonder of the original or a truly fresh story, it may feel synthetic.
Best for
fans of big studio musicals
families looking for a safe fantasy adventure
viewers who enjoy nostalgic legacy sequels
people who like ornate production design and choreography
Skip if
you want the original’s timeless magic
you’re allergic to sentimental, polished studio whimsy
you prefer leaner stories without sequel baggage
you need strong dramatic stakes over comfort-food entertainment
Overview
Mary Poppins Returns is a beautifully mounted attempt to revive a very specific kind of studio magic: the cheerful, lightly surreal musical that treats London as a playground and emotional repair as a song-and-dance problem. Emily Blunt is the movie’s great asset, bringing poise, wit, and just enough edge to make the character feel like more than an imitation. The production design, costumes, and choreography are all doing the kind of expensive, meticulous work that makes this sort of film feel like an event.
Worth noting
The problem is that the movie often seems more interested in preserving the idea of Mary Poppins than in discovering a new reason for her to be here. Its emotional beats are earnest but predictable, and the sequel structure can make the whole thing feel a little dutiful. Even so, there’s pleasure in its craftsmanship, its musical flourishes, and its commitment to being a family film that never gets mean or cynical.
Bottom line
For viewers in the mood for a glossy, old-fashioned musical with a warm center and a few genuinely delightful set pieces, it’s an easy recommendation. For everyone else, it’s a pleasant return visit rather than a must-see destination.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Patrick Willems (3★) · 1826 likes
93-year-old Dick Van Dyke hopping on a desk and dancing is as awe-inspiring as any stunt in Mission: Impossible - Fallout
austen 🚀 (3★) · 1420 likes
there’s no cgi or animation in this emily blunt can just do that
demi adejuyigbe (5★) · 1302 likes
This movie is flawed in so many ways. There's a sequence that was clearly only inserted into the film as a way to get a certain actor into the movie. The drama of the climax is undercut by a crazy obvious solution that should have been everybody's first thought. The very first accent/voice you hear in the movie, although purposeful (I know, I know, Dick Van Dyke did it) does NOT inspire confidence.
All of that said, this is currently… more
Jay · 1287 likes
me: i think im finally off my mamma mia bullshit
colin firth, julie walters and meryl streep starring in another musical:
me: surprise bitch thought youd seen the last of me?
Lucy (1.5★) · 960 likes
mary poppins floated down with her umbrella at stonewall and said “here’s a brick. have fun”