Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

It was inevitable that we were going to get a sequel to Home Alone but in 1992, a 9 year old me didn't care or think about that sort of thing. I was just excited to get back to Kevin and whilst this is basically the same plot as the second one. The thought of Kevin being lost in one of the biggest cities in the world was still something exciting. The plot is the same except Kevin makes it to the airport but gets separated in the rush and if there was a sign this was a pre 9/11 film, Kevin is able to get on board through a series of events that require a suspension of disbelief. The rest is the same as the first although there is no John Candy.

When Donald Trump had his cameo, I am sure I heard boos. It wasn't loud but it was noticeable and that seemed a bit silly because he is on screen literally for 5 seconds and doesn't impact the plot and regardless of your political beliefs, booing a 32 year old film is childish.

GOOD POINTS

Clever twist on the familiar plot

Whilst there are many similarities to the first film, moving the setting to New York does have some benefits. Starting the time in New York at the hotel allows for the film to be different enough. Once the stuff is finished at the hotel (in hilarious fashion), the action moves to Kevin’s uncle and I would say that there is enough different to justify this movie although the basics are the same.

Traps are still as good as the first

Even though the traps dont happen at the hotel, the traps at the house are just as good as the first film. The one where Marv is pelted with bricks and then gets electrocuted does show that the traps have increased in their terms of severity. I know that some programmes and people try to take the fun out of whether Marv and Harry would survive because thats taking the fun out of the film. Of course they wouldn't survive but its cartoon violence and they take the step up in brutality that they needed to after the first.

Another great performance from Culkin

After two years, Macaulay Culkin is still great as Kevin. He is less whiney as he was before but still manages to capture being a kid really well (not much of a stretch really) but there a lovely side to his performance especially when Kevin has scenes with Pigeon Lady and Mr. Duncan. The scene where Kevin and his mom reunite might be the same as the one in the first but they have such a lovely bond that it still got me teary eyed.

Hotel staff are a nice bit of comedy (even Schneider)

I think that Rob Schneider is a humourless hack and owes his entire career to Adam Sandler but in this he is the good part of a gang of hotel staff that are excellent to the hotel side of the plot. Led by Tim Curry’s Concierge, everyone is fun as they try to get the upper hand on Kevin which takes the inevitable path but there are plenty of laughs along the way. Even ‘actors’ as terrible and unfunny as Schneider have the ability mostly through luck to star in a great film.

Toy Shop subplot was a nice touch

It might be a b-plot but I thought the Toyshop subplot was very good and sweet. Its weird to think that this sort of toyshop would be in business in 2024 without becoming a faceless corporate toyshop but the individuality and innocence of the owner makes the subplot appear on the same emotional level as the old man from the previous film.

Pigeon Lady was a suitable replacement for the old man from the first

Despite the fact that Brenda Fricker does look like Piers Morgan in this film, I still think that she is a suitable replacement for the old guy from the first film. I was aware that Fricker was in a UK show called Casualty around this time and it was my first experience of someone I saw on TV in a movie and she plays the pigeon lady rather well. It’s sad that she doesnt really have a moment where she reunites with family like the old man did in the first one but the interactions with Kevin were lovely to watch.

BAD POINTS

Same plot as the first

This is really nitpicking and I already stated it at the beginning but this is the same plot as the first one just changed and its a trick that most sequels in other films not named Home Alone would try for the rest of time.

OVERALL

Despite the minot bad point, Home Alone 2 is a great film and one of the best sequels in movie history. The setting works and despite not really seeing much of New York beyond the initial shots at the start, the film have a different vibe to the first one and the first two Home Alone films are the best by quite some margin and are regular watches at Christmas time. Lovely stuff.