Home Alone 4: A Total Rip-Off
check_circlePros
- The movie tries to tackle some real issues, like a single mom struggling to make ends meet.
- The cast, although not perfect, tries to make the most of the weak script.
- The movie has some mildly entertaining moments, but they're few and far between.
- The cinematography is decent, but it can't save the movie from its overall mediocrity.
- The movie attempts to be a bit more serious and dramatic, which is a nice change of pace from the usual slapstick humor.
cancelCons
- The movie is a total rip-off of the original, with a weak and unoriginal plot.
- The acting is subpar, with the actors struggling to make their characters believable.
- The movie has one of the most annoying and unlikable love interests in recent memory.
- The pacing is slow and plodding, making the movie feel like a chore to watch.
- The movie's attempts at humor fall flat, with most of the jokes feeling forced and unfunny.
Editor's Summary
I gotta say, the Home Alone franchise should've ended with the third movie. But no, the writers and directors just had to milk it for more cash and creative ambitions. The result is a total mess that looks like a cheap imitation. The fourth installment tries to bring back Kevin, but it's just a total letdown.
Specifications
I'll be the first to admit it: the Home Alone franchise should've ended with the third movie. But no, the writers and directors just had to milk it for more cash and creative ambitions. And what we got was a total rip-off.
Fast forward to the fourth installment, and Kevin's back with his family. But things have changed - his parents are no longer together, his dad's off with some rich aunt, and his mom's struggling to make ends meet with three kids to care for.
Let's be real, the first two movies were all about Kevin. The third one was a completely different story with a different kid, but for some reason, they decided to bring Kevin back. And what we got was a mess that looked like a cheap imitation.
Home Alone 4 / Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)Release Year: 2002
Country: USA
Director
Rod Daniel
Screenplay
Debra Frank, Steve L. Hayes, John Hughes
Runtime: 1h 29min
Main Cast:
French Stewart
Eric Avari
Barbara Babcock
Jason Beghe
Clare Carey
Joanna Going
Missy Pyle
Gideon Jacobs
Chelsea Russo
Mike Weinberg
Description:
Who wouldn't want to be home alone on Christmas? That's exactly what Kevin McCallister's got - a whole house to himself, and all the tech gadgets he could ask for. And let me tell you, it's going to be a wild ride! Especially for the bumbling burglars who think they can take him down.
Kevin's got a lot to be excited about, what with his family's new pad being a high-tech smart house that can do just about anything. But things take a turn when two bumbling burglars show up, thinking they can take advantage of the situation.
Plot
It turns out Kevin's dad has traded in his family for a younger model - a rich woman named Natalie. He invites the kids to spend Christmas with him and his new girlfriend, but only Kevin agrees to come. And what a Christmas it's going to be!
Kevin finds himself in a house that's way more high-tech than he's used to. The lights turn on by themselves, the TV comes on, and the water runs by itself. It's like the house is smarter than the people who live in it.
But Kevin's not alone for long. Two bumbling burglars show up, thinking they can take advantage of the situation. And let me tell you, it's going to be a wild ride!
Characters
The old cast is gone, replaced by new actors. Even Marv, the bumbling burglar, is back - but played by a different actor.
Home Alone 4 / Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)Kevin (Mike Weinberg)
I've got to say, casting a new Kevin was a weird choice. The new Kevin, played by Mike Weinberg, is younger than the old Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin. At the time of the movie's release, the first Kevin was 9 years old, while the second Kevin was 10. It's pretty obvious that the new Kevin is younger, shorter, and just overall different. What's up with that Benjamin Button thing? Everyone's aging, but Kevin's just eating some magical apples or something? And to make matters worse, the movie itself says that Kevin's age is lower than it was during the New York events! That's just crazy talk.
The young actor playing Kevin lacks experience and struggles to deliver a convincing performance. He's even worse than Alex from the third Home Alone movie. Overall, he overacts, and at times, he's completely lifeless. He fails to capture the character's essence.
Home Alone 4 / Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)Kevin's mom
She's a wise woman, but the actress playing her is less charismatic and less polished. She's no longer the perfectly coiffed woman with her nose held high; she's a worn-out mom struggling to keep up with her kids.
Home Alone 4 / Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)Kevin's dad
He's been turned from a solid family man into some kind of free spirit. In the first two movies, he was the epitome of a good father, but now he's just a flaky guy who's more concerned with his new girlfriend. Leaving his wife and three kids? Why not? It's not like John McClane in Die Hard would do something that low. Although, in the end, both of them do end up returning to their wives after the holidays. Christmas miracle, I guess.
Natalie
She's a slightly hysterical woman who initially comes across as evil, but eventually, you feel sorry for her. She's like the third wheel on a bike and the wrench in the works. She messes with Kevin's dad, ruins the family dynamics, and drags him away from his family, only to get some kind of comeuppance at the end. Or maybe not. The moral of the story is murky, or maybe it's just a script fail.
Home Alone 4 / Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)Marv
Someone messed up, and the new actor and his appearance (clothing, etc.) are more like Harry from the first two movies. The actor plays poorly, and for the entire movie, you're thinking it's not Marv, it's Harry. You have no idea who this character is or how he ended up there.
Home AloneFor comparison, here's how Marv (left) and Harry (right) looked in the first two movies.
Home Alone 4 / One Home Alone 4 (2002, movie)I've got to say, Vera - the wife of Marv (played by Missi Pyle) - was a total waste of time. The actress just didn't bring anything to the role.
There was zero chemistry between Vera and Marv, and their partnership was a total disaster. Marv wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, and when he teamed up with a girl who was about as smart as a five-year-old, their whole operation was doomed from the start.
Picture
The movie had no snow, but it did have a ton of plastic on a fake Christmas tree. No charming city, no beautiful Christmas angels - nothing to enjoy.
Humor
Where was the humor? I mean, come on, couldn't they have come up with something?
Overall impression
The movie just didn't leave any impression on me. It felt like a parody of the original Home Alone, or some foreign adaptation from a poor but proud country.
Not funny. The actors were bad, the plot was weird and full of holes, the characters were stupid and illogical.
No deep, meaningful morals or drama in the movie.
I'd say Home Alone 4 is a terrible movie. Don't waste your time watching it!
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