Merry Christmas one and all! We have made it to the fate day and with it comes the final Christmas review and the penultimate review of 2020. And it only felt right to end it on a Christmas classic, or a sequel to one. Although I think it is probably fair to say that ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ (1992) is a yuletide classic in and of itself. I think I have probably seen it myself about as many times as the original film, although I don’t remember the last time I sat and watched it start to finish. But ‘tis the season to be jolly and all that and I know that this film fills me with all those feels. We find ourselves again with the McCallister’s who are planning a trip to Florida for Christmas. But after a mix up at the airport Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) ends up on a plane to New York instead of Miami. He spends his time living it up in posh hotels, spending a fortune on room service. But he isn’t alone, as the Wet Bandits (now the Sticky Bandits) are also in the city after escaping prison and the game of cat a mouse between the to parties starts up all over again.
I don’t think I can start this review by saying anything other than that this film is effectively the same film as the first except set in New York. Of course, the basic concept is exactly the same, but this even goes as far as jokes being repeated from the first film. The inanimate objects pretending to be real people, characters mistaking film dialogue for the real thing, you get the drill. They do jazz them u a bit, but you do end up feeling like you are watching the same stuff a lot of the time. And you get the feeling all the actors feel the same as there seems to be a bit less enthusiasm for the material with this film. Although a shout out does have to go out to Tim Curry who is obviously brilliantly funny in the role of the Mr Hector. He is such a fun actor and that is no different for this film. As for the rest of the performances, no one is bad in the film, but a bit like the film, in general, it all feels a bit like it has regressed slightly. In terms of the technical side, you could very well read what I said about the first film. It is your classic Hollywood style of shooting and editing a film and it is solidly done throughout. And John Williams’ score is still a very welcome addition to the film, adding a lot of charm and heart to the film.
So, with the film being basically exactly the same as the first one you can probably guess what my favourite part of the film is? That’s right, it is the Kevin vs. Sticky Bandits scene. Although, this time it is enjoyable in a different way to the first one. The first film is quite clever in its booby traps and its slapstick, whereas this one just ends up throwing blunt objects into to the two bandits faces several times and the enjoyment comes from the fact that they keep getting back up. One of them gets repeatedly hit in the face by bricks, it isn’t exactly subtle stuff. But it is the fact that it isn’t subtle which is why it is so entertaining. The first film felt like a kid using objects to incapacitate the two assailants, this film feels like he is genuinely trying to kill them. Apart from repeatedly hitting them with blunt objects he sets them on fire, electrocutes them, and even has one of them almost blow themselves up. It is ridiculous and that is and it is because of how ridiculous it is that it remains funny. You get the feeling while watching it that the filmmakers are having fun with how ridiculous it is as well. It almost feels like they all know they are basically making exactly the same film so are having fun with just how stupid they can make this scene and I am happy they did because it is a ton of fun.
Rom this review you may think that I am saying this film isn’t very good, which is only half true. I think it is a finely made film and I very much enjoy it, especially when the Sticky Bandits have several metallic objects dropped on them from large heights. But it is effectively the first film all over again, and while some people might think it better than the first film I stand on the other side of that argument where I think the first is superior. But I do still really enjoy this film and I watch it almost every year. I feel like that is the same for most of you reading this but if you somehow have not seen it yet give it a watch, especially if you like the first film. Oh, and there is also a cameo from Donald Trump in this film. Fuck that piece of shit.
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