There is an ideology in Hollywood -that almost any movie that is moderately successful; someone has to make a sequel. Unfortunately, most of the time, The Sequel Sucked. I cannot, offhand, think of any sequel that was as good-or better than the original(Ghostbusters 2 was one of the worst-I just can’t find a copy to review!). Rather, I can recall with frightening clarity, the number of really Sucky Sequels that have shamed the silver screen over the years.

Home Alone 2-Lost In New York is a sequel to a good comedy. Like many sequels, however, this movie is simply a re-hash of the 1st movie. The 2ed time the gags and improbable premise that made the first movie different and fun is simply overdone, hokey and flat out Boring!

The Same Old Tired Story: The first movie Home Alone was about a little boy named Kevin Macallister played by Macauly Culkin. His family accidentally leaves behind Kevin during Christmas vacation. Kevin has to entertain, feed and take care of himself. And he has to capture a couple of really stupid thieves Played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern who call themselves the Wet Bandits because they always leave the water running after robbing a home.

The first movie is filled with funny slapstick style humor. There are lots of physical gags involving the two bandits and Kevin as he-Kevin tries to protect himself and his home from the bandits attempts to rob it.

There is also a sappy side story involving the neighbor and his family. There is a happy ending for everyone-except the two wet bandits.

Okay, So What about The Sequel? yeah, well guess what- Home Alone 2-Lost In New York is pretty much the exact same movie all over again, just with a new location. The actors are almost all the same-Culkin, Pesci and Stern are back. The same actors and actresses play all Kevin’s family as before. There are a few new characters to fill in the plot and story lines. But that is it-it’s the same movie filled with the same gags and the 2ed time around-its just annoying.

The Story: this movie starts off with Kevin and his family getting ready to leave for another giant family vacation-this one in the Caribbean. Everyone is at Kevin’s parent’s house getting ready to go. Kevin has this cool techno- gadget recorder that allows him to change the speed and sound of the recordings he makes-he runs around making clandestine recordings of things like-his uncle singing in the shower. I don’t recall the name of this gadget, but I do remember that it was an extremely popular gift for kids after this movie came out.

At a choir recital, Kevin has a solo that his older brother messes up. Kevin punches his brother, causing the entire choir to go crashing to the ground. Naturally, everyone blames Kevin for everything. Kevin tells everyone off after his brother makes an “apology”.

Just like in the first movie, in this movie-the alarm doesn’t go off and everyone wakes up late for the ride to the airport. There is a mad rush as the entire family, mom’s dad’s, brothers. uncles, cousins’ etc run around trying to get ready to go.

Kevin (who was left behind during this same mad rush last time) does manage to get into the shuttle with his parents. He tells his dad he needs batteries for his new toy so his dad hands over his(the dad’s) bag which not only has the batteries Kevin needs but the dad’s wallet, an envelope full of cash and a few credit cards.

In the rush through the airport, Kevin falls behind his father. While Kevin thinks he is following his father, he is actually following someone else and instead of getting on the plane with his family he gets on a plane headed to New York. A combination of stupidity and improbability keeps both Kevin’s family and Kevin from realizing their mistakes until it is too late.

Finding himself alone in New York City, Kevin doesn’t go find a nice friendly policeman or airline worker to help him. Instead, Kevin finds his way to The Plaza Hotel and using his father’s credit cards and his Handy-Dandy recorder he manages to check in to the hotel despite the misgivings of the Concierge (Played by Tim Curry) and the bell-hop (Played by -----).

Once he is settled into his room at the hotel, Kevin is pretty much in hog heaven. He has cash, he has credit cards. He can get everything he wants through room service. He uses his recorder and a blow up clown to trick the hotel staff into thinking his dad is in the bathroom.

Alone in New York with money to burn, Kevin heads out on the town. Unfortunately for him-the Wet Bandits that he helped put away last Christmas have escaped from prison and are on the loose-guess where?-Yup, that’s right-they just Happen to end up in New York City at the same time Kevin does.

As Kevin runs around loose in an unsuspecting New York City, the escaped bandits make plans to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve. Kevin meets a variety of characters including The Pigeon Lady and the owner of the toy store that the bandits plan on robbing.

Eventually the bandits spot Kevin and Kevin spots them. Realizing that Kevin is on his own, the bandits hatch a plan to get even with him for last Christmas. This involves a series of scenes almost identical to scenes in the last movie. Everyone ends up in Kevin’s uncle’s house-that is conveniently empty and being remodeled (therefore filled with lots of boards and other junk Kevin can use to fight the bandits)– where Kevin once again rigs up a bunch of extremely painful traps.

Paint cans go flying, Trunks fall on heads. Everything that happened in the first movie happens in the 2ed movie-just a tiny itty-bitty bit differently.

Eventually, Kevin’s family arrives in New York. Kevin is rescued by one of his new buddies and the Wet Bandits are again captured in the nick of time. Kevin makes a new friend. Sappy and stupid. Yippee, the movie is over-happy ending. Belch.

There are SO many problems with this movie Besides being a lackluster copy of the first movie, there are some serious problems with this plot. I have some real issues with the whole concept of an 8-year-old being alone in any city-much less New York. Now, my 6-year-old knows that if she should get separated from her mom or dad or anyone else she is with for that matter that she is to either find a policeman or find a phone and call 9-1-1. She isn’t to wander around by herself. I certainly wouldn’t want her loose in a giant city making friends with crazy pigeon loving street people. The whole idea of a small child alone and in danger bothers me. So does the idea that this movie might just encourage a child to think they could do something like this in real life.

So far as I could tell, no one except Kevin’s parents was actively trying to find him during the movie. The police were not looking for him; no one seemed to think it odd that this small boy was wandering around the city all by himself. No one seems to notice two strange and scary looking men chasing Kevin. No one helps him, questions him or stops him. The first movie was almost probable. This movie was just flat out impossible.

About the only good part of this movie was Tim Curry. But then, I’m partial to him anyhow. I loved him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Clue-The Movie. He at least has some acting ability and talent.

What makes this movie even worse is that the producers of this movie didn’t stop here. There is actually a THIRD movie called Home Alone 3. I’ve never seen the third movie and I don’t plan on ever watching it. This one was bad enough for me thank you very much.

When I decided to review this movie for the W/O I borrowed a copy of it from my friend. Then last night, I turned on the TV and guess what was playing on Fox? Yup, you guessed it-Home Alone 2-Lost In New York. Groan-it was bad enough having to watch this movie un-cut and on video. This movie interrupted by commercials was even worse. -There was nothing else on, and the kids wanted to watch it again so unfortunately I have watched this sequel twice.

This movie is a ”Childrens movie of sorts. But I cannot honestly recommend this movie for children. The movie is fairly violent-The Wet Bandits get the stuffing beat out of them by Kevin. There are some very disturbing themes throughout the movie that make me not ever want to let the kids watch it again.

Would I recommend this movie-NO! There are better comedies for kids out there so just avoid this one if you can.

This review was part of a Write-Off hosted by Wrechedpyro featuring reviews of things (movies, books and games etc) where The Sequel Sucked! Please check out the other entries in this W/O:
the list of participants.
*alex _isit
*bluehawq
*bmcnichol
*cartman_2k
*David.C
*DavidK93
*eplovejoy
*fez_monkey
*gasjocket214
*gorocco
*kenshin-guy
*korova
*LEDOMAINE
*lorendiac
*matt_harney
*monssfisch
*mtbat
*officer
*patach
*rader6795
*redmaple
*sephiroth2000
*solid_snake
*SParkfan77
*WretchedPyro
*xeno3998

And someone-tell the idiots in Hollywood that movies like this are good the first time-but please-quit while you are ahead.


Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12