Linz, meanwhile, lacks the charisma that Macaulay Culkin brought to the screen – although Scarlett Johansson does appear as Alex’s sister, Molly. Highlights include a spring-loaded boxing glove and an electrically-charged chair, but most of the traps are reworkings of earlier stunts and lack any surprise – although there is some inventive use of the toy car, with a video camera taped to it. That gives events a fairly familiar feel, as Alex D Linz plays Alex Pruitt, an eight-year-old who finds out that his remote control car has a microchip hidden in it that’s being chased by a North Korean terrorist group, after a mix-up with baggage at the airport.Įnter the ruthless Alice (Rya Kihlstedt), the clumsy Burton (Lenny Von Dohlen) and the stern Earl (David Thornton), three spies determined to find the toy car, only for Alex to try and stop them. Home Alone 3 lacks helmer Chris Columbus and composer John Williams, but does provide the directorial debut for Raja Gosnell (Scooby-Doo, Never Been Kissed, The Smurfs), who edited the first two Home Alone films. It took 5 years after Kevin McCallister got Lost in New York for 20th Century Fox to decide to green-light another Home Alone outing – and, perhaps smartly, it makes the decision to stay as far away from the McCallisters as possible. Because yes, Home Sweet Home Alone is actually Home Alone 6, with three other sequels made in the years since Macauley Culkin departed the franchise in Home Alone 2.Īre they really as bad as they sound? We pick up our crowbars, put down our pet spider and enter the booby-trapped maze of horrors of Home Alone 3, 4 and 5. The film’s reception, it’s fair to say, hasn’t been overwhelmingly positive, with some labelling it the worst Home Alone film ever made – but that’s likely because they haven’t seen the other Home Alone films.

What might not be top of your list, though, is Home Sweet Home Alone, the sequel released by Disney+ that sees Jojo Rabbit’s Archie Yates step into the shoes of Max Mercer, who fends off a home invasion from two struggling, middle-aged adults (Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney) looking to retrieve a family heirloom. Top of the list? Very possibly Home Alone, one of the greatest festive films of all time, thanks to its surprising blend of slapstick violence and sincere sentiment – a balance that makes it a winning, almost worryingly family-friendly delight. There are only a few weeks until it’s December and it’s socially acceptable to watch Christmas movies.

Home alone 4 netflix