A Worthy Sequel To A Holiday Classic

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2015)

Normally, sequels to great films more often than not fail to live up to the first one, usually because the producers feel the urge to rush them out with whatever story they can glue together in five minutes without incorporating what made the original film great. Every now and then, though, sometimes Hollywood gets it right a second time. 1992's "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is one such case. Taking place one year after the events in the first film, the cast once again includes the charming Macaulay Culkin as that devilish but lovable Kevin McCallister and pretty much everyone else, from Catherine O'Hara as the mother, to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the bungling thieves Harry and Marv. Once again the family is readying for another Christmas trip, this time to Miami, and like the first one, the alarm doesn't go off when it's supposed and it's a mad rush to the airport. Only this time, instead of leaving Kevin behind, Kevin manages to get to the airport but alas gets on the wrong flight after following a man who has the same coat, same hair style from the back as his father does! As you can probably guess from the title, Kevin ends up in New York, checks into the fancy Plaza Hotel with his dad's credit card (Were we are treated to a cameo from the Donald himself, Mr. Donald Trump, the owner of the hotel at the time) and living the dream. However, he won't be able to rest for long; Harry and Marv have busted out of prison and they decide to go to (Where else?) New York. Of course, it means another Christmas in the trenches as Kevin must prevent the two heartless but dimwitted thieves from knocking off a toy store whose proceeds are to go to the children's hospital. Can Kevin win again or are the tables to be turned?
Although it may not be quite on the same level as the first one, I can honestly say I have just as much fun watching "Home Alone 2" every year as I do the original. A big reason for this is probably due to the return of almost all the cast members, and I do mean almost everyone, from John Heard as the father to Gerry Bamman as the much hated Uncle Frank. Another reason is the return of Chris Columbus as director, whose shots of New York are as dazzling and enchanting as those in the first one. Indeed, Central Park has rarely been filmed as beautifully as it is here. Plus, the script is once again written by the late, great John Hughes, which means the story has plenty of laughs in addition to heart. True, the skits in this one are a bit more outrageous than in the original (In one scene, the film asks us to believe that a person, in this case Marv, can be hit with multiple bricks from a five story window and not suffer death or permanent brain damage!). However, folks, considering that this is a holiday comedy, I don't think it's too much to ask that we suspend our disbelief just a little. As for the music score, once again the legendary John Williams does his magic, producing what could be an even better score than the first, including new songs like the heart tugging "Christmas Star", one of the most beautiful and underrated Christmas songs ever. In many ways, you could say "Home Alone 2" is remake of the first one, only one that retains both the comedy and magic of the original version (Something that can't be said for any of the ones that followed it!). So, with all that said, gather around children and watch that most rarity of rarities, a truly magical sequel in the form of "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". And, regardless of what time of year it may be, Merry Christmas!!!!!