jennifernorth's Full Review: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Let me start out this review by stating: I am not a miser! The first Home Alone is not only one of my favorite Christmas movies but one of my favorite movies of any sort! I am also a huge fan of unnecessary sequels. Friday the 13th TEN, Stepford Wives 5, Deep Blue Sea 8... I will be there! Because there is an art in making an audience believe there was ever any point for this sequel to be made and most film-makers fail miserably at it. But their misery is our joy. Which is why it is with a heavy heart that I say this movie SUCKS!
We all know the plot of this series. Rich family goes on absurd Christmas vacation with their even more absurdly large family which includes Kevin (Macaulay!) his 4 brothers & sisters, his mom and dad, and his dad's brother and his ugly family (played by real life Culkins!). OOPS! Kevin doesn't quite make it on the plane and the family spends their Christmas vacation trying to get back to him through the holiday madness.
The creators of this story spent noticeably less effort getting Kevin to New York than they did just forgetting him in his prissy suburban home last time. But I give them credit for not languishing too long in the "well yes, he has been left alone before..." jokes.
I think it was sad they tried to work the Bumbling Burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) back into the plot though. Their presence only highlights the fact that the sequel does not touch its predecessor.
One scene that is absolutely brutal is when Kevin goes to the toy store on Christmas Eve and has a long conversation about Christmas Joy or some nonsense with the cashier. I have worked retail on Christmas Eve and let me tell you what is not happening: anything except homicidal rage. I understand the story-tellers needed a parallel between this film and the crazy neighbor who gave the original movie a real tear-jerking punch but this conversation just infuriated me. Where are the long lines? The screaming, awful children? The whiney parents with ridiculous needs and no empathy for underpaid clerks?! THIS IS CHRSTMAS EVE, DAMNIT!
Then once we get away from the Bumbling Burglars Kevin is now lost in NYC with no money or family. While I admit this film has been nothing but disappointing this far I don't wish any harm upon Kevin McAllister and it was unnerving seeing the 8-year old character in actual danger, this is a Christmas movie! Thankfully he hooks up with a nice old lady who feeds pigeons and they kick it in her warehouse where Kevin learns being homeless and destitute is a lot like being the youngest in an upper-middle class, oblivious family.
But please do not think this movie is completely without merit: All the scenes in the Plaza hotel work well. A moustached man unnaturally obsessed with Kevin, a frigid female desk clerk, an elderly security guard who may be gay! Okay, they're not great but there are a few slapstick-induced laffz. And when the hotel clerks kick Kevin out and then the parents show up to retrieve. BOY ARE THEY IN T-R-O-U-B-L-E!
I also love the underlying theme of kids saving the day. Because we all know their stupid parents are too busy abusing clerks over Furbies and Tickle Me Elmo dolls to have any idea what Christmas Joy is about. And Culkin is like a young, more handsome, less gay MacGuyver. Which serves as an excellent role model for America's Youth.
In the end things tie up well enough, the family is reunited and Kevin learns a valuable lesson: crazy, old people are cool and any feat can be overcome by throwing marbles on the ground. Merry Christmas!
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.