The original is a classic that never fails to entertain, after its huge financial success it was almost inevitable that a sequel would follow, written and produced by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Uncle Buck, Miracle on 34th Street), directed by Chris Columbus (Mrs. Doubtfire, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief). Basically, in the suburbs of Chicago, the McAllister family is again preparing for a Christmas vacation, this time travelling to Miami, Florida. Ten-year-old Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is not as keen on it as the rest of the family due to the tropical climate contradicting the Christmas holiday and having no Christmas trees. Kevin and his older brother Buzz (Devin Ratray) at a school Christmas pageant, but Kevin's solo performance is spoilt by Buzz, and he retaliates by pushing him and causing the whole choir to topple and the concert to be ruined. At home, Buzz makes a fake apology, which Kevin recognises; he refuses to apologise, and berates the family for believing Buzz and wanting to spend Christmas in Florida. He storms into the attic and tells his mother, Kate (Catherine O'Hara), that he wishes he could go on his own vacation alone. The next morning, the family oversleeps after Kevin's father Peter (John Heard) accidentally unplugged the alarm clock. They rush to get to the airport in time for their flight, remembering to bring Kevin with them this time. But Kevin gets separated from the family at the airport while carrying Peter's bag and accidentally boards a flight to New York City. The rest of the family land in Florida and quickly realise Kevin is missing but do not know his whereabouts. Kevin realises his situation but decides to tour the city, including a view from the top of the Twin Towers. While in Central Park, he is frightened by a homeless woman, the Pigeon Lady (Brenda Fricker), who is covered in birds. Meanwhile, the Wet Bandits, crooks Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), have escaped from prison and have made their way to the Big Apple. They now call themselves the Sticky Bandits, due to Marv using sticky tape on his gloves to steal things. After recognising the Plaza Hotel from a television advertisement, Kevin decides to use his father's credit card and a convincing cover story to check-in. He gets a large room with a big bed, luxurious bathroom and store cupboards full of junk food; he goes swimming in the hotel pool and orders ice cream. The Plaza's concierge, Mr. Hector (Tim Curry), is suspicious of the youngster's stay at the hotel. On Christmas Eve, Kevin is distracted, being given a limousine and cheese pizza, and taken to Duncan's Toy Chest toy store, while Hector investigates the credit card, which he finds was reported stolen. Harry and Marv are visiting the toy store as well; they plan to rob it, recognising will make the most money during the Christmas holiday. Kevin inadvertently meets the store's kindly owner, Mr. Duncan (Eddie Bracken), who intends to donate the day's sale proceeds to a children's hospital. After Kevin makes a donation, Mr. Duncan gives him a pair of ceramic turtledoves in thanks, saying he should give one to another person as a sign of friendship forever. Kevin is frightened when Harry recognises him and he and Marv chase after him. The concierge confronts Kevin about his use of Peter's credit card before the boy runs up to his room. Before escaping with Peter's bag and supplies, Kevin frightens the concierge and the gathered staff by playing audio from the movie Angels with Even Filthier Souls. Escaping the hotel through the fire exit, Kevin ends up running into the Sticky Bandits, and Marv mentions their plan to rob the toy store, unaware Kevin is recording it with his Talkboy device before he manages to get away. The McAllisters are informed that Kevin is in New York and make their way to the city. They are given a room at the Plaza while Kate goes out looking for her son. Kevin meanwhile goes to his Uncle Rob's townhouse, only to find it is empty and undergoing renovations. In Central Park, Kevin encounters numerous scary people passing and again encounters the Pigeon Lady. But she proves herself to be kind and takes him to Carnegie Hall for a cup of hot chocolate. The Pigeon Lady explains she became homeless after the man she loved left him, Kevin encourages her to trust people again. Before leaving, Kevin is given advice that doing a good deed will make up for any misdeeds. Kevin passes the children's hospital, recalling Mr. Duncan's intent to donate the money and decides to prevent the crooks from robbing the store. Kevin returns to the empty townhouse and sets up many boobytraps. Harry and Marv are hiding in the store as it closes, and begin their robbery, finding a trunk filled with hundreds of dollars. But Kevin thwarts the robbery, taking a photograph of them in the process, and throws a brick through the front window and setting off the alarm. He lures them to the townhouse where they are foiled by the numerous traps. Harry slips from a ladder covered with gunk, a bag of spanners falls onto his head, and his hat is set on fire by a blowtorch and a toilet filled with flammable liquid explodes when he tries to put the fire out. Marv is injured by a nail gun through the front door, he falls into the lower level where he slips on gunk and gets covered in paint, he is electrocuted, and he pulls down a heavy bag of dry cement. The reunited pair try to get upstairs, where Kevin again launches heavy paint cans on strings, as well as a heavy pipe. After getting back upstairs, they are injured by a tool chest falling down the stairs. Finally, Kevin lures them down a rope soaked with kerosene and sets it alight, causing the criminals to fall and get covered in sticky liquids. Kevin calls the police from a payphone as the crooks retrieve their money bag. They manage to catch him when he slips on ice, and they take him to Central Park intending to shoot him. But the Pigeon Lady saves them, covering them in birdseed, attracting a flock of pigeons to swarm and incapacitate them. The police arrive, seeing Kevin's photograph and a tape recording of Harry and Marv, and they are arrested. The money is recovered, and the police find a note left by Kevin for Mr. Duncan. Kate, searching for Kevin, recalls his love for Christmas trees and finds him at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree wishing to see his mother, she appears, and they reconcile. In the Plaza, the McAllisters wake on Christmas morning finding a truckload of presents, sent by Mr. Gesture as a gesture of gratitude. But Kevin decides to go and visit the Pigeon Lady, giving her the ceramic turtledove to seal their friendship. It ends with Buzz discovering Kevin's bill from his previous room service spending, Kevin hugging the Pigeon Lady are interrupted by Peter shouting that he spent over $960. Also starring Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank, Dana Ivey as Desk Clerk, Rob Schneider as Bellman, Hillary Wolf as Megan, Maureen Elisabeth Shay as Linnie, Michael C. Maronna as Jeff, Terrie Snell as Aunt Leslie, Jedidiah Cohen as Rod, Senta Moses as Tracy, Diana Rein as Sondra, Kieran Culkin (Macaulay's brother) as Fuller, Anna Slotky as Brooke, Ralph Foody as Johnny the Gangster, Clare Hoak as the Gangster's Dame, Andre Lachaumette as Man on Plane, Rick Shafer as Peter Look Alike, Rod Sell as Officer Bennett, Ron Canada as Cop in Times Square, Cedric Young as Cop in Central Park, Michael Goldfinger as Limo Driver, and a cameo by Donald Trump as himself (then the owner of the Plaza). Culkin (who was paid $4 million to return) is still mischievous and is slightly wiser than before, Pesci and Stern equally remain humorous as the bumbling thieves, O'Hara is again amusing being hyper, and Curry is memorable as the obnoxious hotel staff member. As before the younger audience will have fun, the Tom and Jerry cartoon violence remains mostly hilarious, if a little repetitive, the hotel stuff is fine, but the homeless woman subplot is dull, otherwise it is a watchable and fun seasonal comedy. Good!
