Well, at least they aren't bastardising the McCallister family again. The fifth Home Alone film attempts to stand out on its own with its focus on video game addiction (although, funnily enough, it is gamer techniques and even the help of a stranger online that helps Finn win the day in the end). I'll even say that the way it incorporates a historic house with a secret room used in the bootlegging days is kinda neat. There is a whole shtick where Finn believes the house is haunted, which factors into the story in a few ways, but I think it could have been a stronger element. It's pretty harmless in the end, with some goofy antics, but there are moments where it feels like the film tries to break the mold somewhat. There's even an amusing montage where Finn tries to buy $2K worth of tools at a hardware store, but winds up walking away with a reel of twine.
Sadly, other aspects to the film struggle to impress. The traps and home defense scenes are barely memorable, and easily some of the weakest of the series. The melodrama pads out the movie somewhat, serving little more than to find an excuse for the kid to actually be home alone rather than adding any heart or depth. Nothing in the film's quality helps—it's blandly filmed with functional, but not exceptional, editing. Performances are fair. The biggest name here is Malcolm McDowell as the villain, but a man of his stature deserves better. Christian Martyn plays the lead as Finn, and he's fine—thankfully not as obnoxious as the last couple of leads, but there are moments where I wish this kid could have gotten his act together quicker.
Everything about this production comes across as mundane—from the script to the execution, it exists simply for its own sake. In the age of Internet streaming, it could be pegged as merely "content," offering a familiar story with no real flair or anything of interest. Superficially entertaining, but notably weak.
3/10
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the point that this one feels more like a harmless streaming movie than a real Home Alone sequel. The video game angle is actually a decent idea, and the secret room and haunted-house setup could have made the story much more interesting. I also liked the little hardware store scene, which was probably one of the more memorable moments. The traps really needed to be better, though, because that has always been such a big part of the series. I’d say it’s watchable for a lazy evening, but definitely not one I’d rush to revisit. By the way, I’ve been checking out a few other casual entertainment options lately, including vinci spin, and some of them are surprisingly fun.
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