Home Alone 2 is a timeless Christmas classic. It starts with the continued story of Kevin McCallister, who gets separated from his family during their annual Christmas trip. He ends up flying to New York City instead of Florida, where he enjoys the city until he crosses paths with the escaped burglars, Harry and Marv, who plan to rob a toy store. Kevin sets traps to foil their heist, once again outsmarting the “sticky bandits” with elaborate schemes, with help from a mysterious “Pigeon Lady.”
New York City gives off a unique vibe that resonates with those who have visited, especially those from the northern United States. Many people find Kevin’s initial tour of the city, which is a familiar experience, a touch of disbelief and sheer excitement laced. Furthermore, the bird lady’s very detailed costume was great. The rugged, worn look of her clothes makes you feel her presence somewhat. Kevin’s get-up is also iconic, and it makes him look like a little tourist, which is somewhat funny. He also climbed to the top floor of the Twin Towers, which contributed to the amazing scene that was set. It was awe-inspiring and immersive, and those little things make my experience more enjoyable.
What Others Loved
In line with the established scene, a sense of nostalgia runs deep in the hearts of older audiences who enjoy it. My mother, Christine Cowen is 51 years old this year, and she was just beginning her adult life at 18. When questioned on what the movie made her feel based on nostalgia, she said, “The jokes were considered top-notch back then…” “…it makes me remember some good Christmases watching this movie and sharing a laugh with someone else.” A user from IMDB.com agrees, saying, “Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern crack me up in their roles as the Wet/Sticky Bandits.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104431/reviews/
Audiences widely appreciate the top-notch jokes in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York‘s booby trap scene, where Marv and Harry both go through unrealistic and very funny obstacles while trying to catch Kevin. My personal favorite was before they even entered the house that Kevin had rigged for them, when Marv and Harry are negotiating with Kevin to throw down his camera while Kevin is atop a roof. Kevin fake-agrees and throws down a brick, which hits Marv in the head as Harry continues to negotiate, causing Kevin to throw more bricks that hit Marv.
What I Didn’t Enjoy
This movie heavily relies on its iconic predecessor for inspiration. That most likely means that the writers opted to copy the original’s plot with slight changes. Mistakes are repeated, like his mother sending him to his room after a family event. Additionally, Kevin’s interaction with a new character, the bird lady, closely resembles his previous conversation with Old Man Marley in the original movie. That entire talk scene evoked déjà vu for everyone watching.
Finally, towards the end of the movie, Kevin makes up with his mother again. Now, could the writers have incorporated someone else, like Kevin’s father or maybe even his brother Buzz, to make up with? Yes, but they were most likely playing it too safe because of the massive success of the first installment.
A Final Verdict
A film like Home Alone that could only be enjoyed one month a year and lacked a Christmas setting would not receive high praise from us. Luckily enough for us, we only need to tolerate its sloppy copy-and-paste plot and subpar acting for around 25 days a year. It’s also one of the most entertaining movies out there, so I give this movie a 6.5/10
Although a 2022 study may prove my point wrong. According to Disney, they released to the public that Home Alone 2 amassed 2.8 billion watch minutes through Disney+. A different study shows that it was the most searched 90s Christmas Movie in the same year.
So if it’s December, enjoy it. If it’s June, you may want to take a different plane.
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