Familiar, Yet Different Sequel to a Christmas Classic

Rating: 8/10 (29 December 2019)

I see a lot of reviews faulting this film for basically copying the original. Yes a lot of the beats are similar, but there is growth in the main character that seems natural. Kevin takes on even more responsibilities while trying to make his own way. In the first film Kevin is mainly a selfish child, who by the end of the film discovers he is not as helpless as other would believe. By the end of the sequel, Kevin looks beyond himself and takes responsibility to save Christmas for a bunch of orphans.
It was nice to see that growth in character, while also still being able to capture the magic of the original. Most of the original cast make a return, while introducing a couple of new eccentric characters. And Joe Pesci is still great. The setting is on a larger scale and the stakes are higher.
For me, I believe pairing Home Alone and Lost in New York together makes for a perfect way to spend a night in around the holidays.