Some films are so universally cherished that the mere mention of a sequel or remake is sure to be met with instant suspicion and hostility before a single scene has been shot. 
But, in the case of Mary Poppins Returns, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, 2002), a sequel to Disney’s much loved 1964 adaptation of P L Travers’s series of books, fans can rest assured that this gamble has more than paid off, mostly thanks to Emily Blunt’s faultless turn as a thoroughly modern version of everyone’s favourite magical nanny. 
Set some 25 years after our first visit to Cherry Tree Lane, and following a recent tragedy, now grown-up Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), his three children and his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) find themselves in need of Mary’s help and wisdom more than ever. 
Mary and the Banks children, together with amiable street lamplighter Jack (Hamilton creator Lin Manuel Miranda, soon to be seen in a TV version of Philip Pullman’s children’s classic His Dark Materials), hope to help Michael out of a tricky financial situation he’s in due to his greedy and duplicitous boss William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth). 
Emily Blunt surpasses all exceptions as the bright and well-turned-out nanny we know and love. And, while there’s no denying that the old Poppins magic is never more than a familiar refrain or leitmotif away, Blunt brings her own blend of feisty sprightliness and wit to a role immortalised by Julie Andrews. 
Jack the lamplighter was once the apprentice to the chimney sweep played by Dick Van Dyke in the original film, and Miranda can’t resist a nod to Van Dyke’s now infamously appalling Cockney accent, while delivering a far more nuanced and believable performance as Jack.
Elsewhere, Ben Whishaw doesn’t disappoint in a suitably subtle turn as Michael, all grown up to become a decidedly sombre and patrician parent, while Emily Mortimer is hugely likeable as the politically engaged and eternally cheerful Jane.
David Magee’s script and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s inspired sound-track combine under Marshall’s direction to make a joyful and heartening film packed full of catchy musical numbers, expertly performed by a versatile cast.  
The updated story is cleverly tuned to today’s concerns, and so the film is both thematically and visually stunning. With some surprising cameos along the way, and a unmistakable flavour of the original, Mary Poppins Returns is a joy and a delight to watch. One might say,  it’s practically perfect in every way.

‘Mary Poppins Returns’ goes on general release on December 21