Home Alone 2 takes a big bite out of the Big Apple and I kinda like it.

Rating: 6/10 (21 December 2014)

In 1990, Home Alone came out to great success, so it was no surprise that, two years later, in 1992, they would go on and make a sequel. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, was mainly a rehash of the original, only it was set in New York City, this time. It's generally considered to be respectful to the first movie and was the second biggest box-office hit of 1992. A lot of the original people from the first film, return to work on this project. Directed by Chris Columbus, and written by John Hughes, the movie tells the story of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) whom once again, finds himself frustrated with his family to the point that once again, he finds himself, wishing he can be without them. We as the audience can't blame him, after all, his family didn't learn anything in the first film. There are still selfish jerks who really do mistreat him. Still, Kevin shouldn't be so happy to get rid of them, too. I thought, he learn that family is very important to have. Geesthis sequel really makes the whole first movie, really pointless. Anyways, instead of getting left home again, he loses track of his father at the airport, and mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City -- while the rest of his family fly to Miami. Now alone in the Big Apple, Kevin cons his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel and begins his usual antics. It's there, that he finds out that the two bumbling burglars that try to rob his home in the first movie, the Wet Bandits, Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) & Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) that are now trying to rob a famous toy store. Instead, of calling the police, Kevin should had done, he set up his Uncle's abandoned house with booby traps & forced Harry & Marv to follow him. Will the Bandits get the edge or will Kevin once again, outsmart them? Watch it to find out! In my opinion, the Bandits really didn't need to go into that house, as they honestly could had stolen the money and flee. It's not like they need the camera picture. They're already wanted criminals! This movie really doesn't give us, much that's new to work with. Yes, the New York City setting is cool to see, but honestly, it could had be downtown Chicago. Half the time, it was. Most of the film are shot there, while others were shot in California. The movie recycle a lot of the old gags from the first film, but puts in the extremes. The extreme cartoony slapstick violence, the cheesy one liners, the break the fourth wall jokes, the dim-wits minds of the criminals, and Kevin's hijinks are still worth seeing one more time and very surprising, still very funny. I have to disagree with certain critics that says cartoon violence is only funny in cartoons. After all, this film is no differs to the old school stunts of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers. Those films get high marks; why can this film? I wouldn't say, watch this movie on TV, because it might be deeply cut and edited. Instead, try to find the movie on DVD. Yes, this movie is a kid's movie, but parents should judge if this film is worth their kids watching, because the visual violence are very realism and has some dark humor. The movie came out when I was a kid, and even for me. I was like, how are these two criminals, even still alive? Clearly, Harry & Marv would be dead by now. Like I said in my original Home Alone review, Kevin might be a little too sadistic. God help us, when he grows ups. Still, most of the film has a lot of heart. Like the first film, Kevin meets somebody to help him, understand his family and Christmas. This time, it's a homeless bird lover woman played by Brenda Fricker whom is a pretty good actress. Most of the actors were. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern never lose a beat. Catherine O'Hara is great as the mother role. Tim Curry is hilarious as the side villain, Mr. Hector, the Plaza hotel concierge. Still, it makes me wonder, why the real life Plaza Hotel was so willing to portray their employees as idiots. I guess Donald Trump just really wanted that cameo. Oddly enough, the directions, Trump gives Kevin are incorrect. Once again, one of the most memorable aspects of Home Alone is the score by John Williams. It's amazing to hear again. I still love the planning song. Overall: the concept was still fresh enough for a sequel and it was very enjoyable. Sadly, Hollywood made a lot of unwanted sequels like 1997's Home Alone 3, 2002's Home Alone 4, and 2012's Home Alone: The Holiday Heist that didn't have any of the original cast and crew. Indeed, they should have learn, you can mess with a lot of things, but you can't mess with kids on Christmas. In the end, those sequels were a mess, but this one still work. So AHHHHHH!!! Hooray for Home Alone 2!