Home Alone 3 (1997)
Does it really deserve the negative reception that it got 25ish years ago?
Brief Backstory
After 5 years after the second Home Alone movie, a third movie was brought in, this time with completely different characters and nothing really affiliated with the first two movies.
Unfortunately, the third Home Alone movie was deemed a failure among critics except for Ebert, and has been passed off as a franchise killing movie.
Story
Alex Pruitt ends up in the possession of an RC toy, only to realize that it’s used to smuggle a chip after he tries to get some footage of four terrorists storming the neighborhood.
Taking matters into his own hands after the police are too stupid to do their job, Alex rigs up the house after tipping off the chip to the FBI and after the criminals know he has it.
Random Facts
Elements from the first two movies aren’t apparent, however there do exist a few, for example Alex tries to have the terrorists arrested twice, but the police brush it off, much like how Kate McCallister called the police in the original to make sure that Kevin was counted. Also Alex uses Doris as the way Kevin used Buzz’s tarantula as an attack. Lastly, the brainiac of the criminals, Petr Beaupre captures Alex just like how Marv and Harry did twice.
The late Roger Ebert had the guts to call Home Alone 3 better than the first two Home Alone movies.
Stuckey, the FBI agent who’s been after one of the criminals for almost a decade doesn’t tell much toward Alex’s family initially for security concerns.
The mob boss is played by Shredder from the 1990 TMNT movie.
Lenny Von Dohlen, who played Burton Jernigan, had the unfortunate honor of being the only criminal from the first three Home Alone movies to pass away as of this writing.
Random Opinions
No I don’t think the police should’ve gotten anything out of this. The chief flat out lies saying there wasn’t anyone inside disregarding that most likely officers have to check high and low. Right after the FBI got involved this was no longer their problem and their police chief should’ve been fired. No medals, no bonuses, nothing. Doesn’t matter how hard the criminals are to capture.
One person taking action after the higher ups call BS on his claims… doesn’t this sound like Halo 2 where the arbiter told Tartarus that the prophets scammed them?
Some of the traps are really brutal in this one. One of the most disturbing ones include a lawn mower and getting in a frozen pool. Because of this, looks like Alex can easily strike fear in anyone.
Pros
- I thought the terrorists are decent replacements for the Wet/Sticky Bandits. They’re also a lot more threatening too.
- Most of the traps are hilarious.
- Unlike Home Alone 2, this isn’t as much of a retread.
- Epic song number where Alex gets the defenses ready.
- The parrot is funny.
Cons
- Unlike Home Alone 1 and 2, most of the adult characters act like they threw their brains out the window.
- This should’ve had a different name since it isn’t really affiliated with any of the other Home Alone movies. Halloween 3 had the same problem too.
- Although I said most of the traps are hilarious, quite a number of them can come off as too inhumane. Even the 4 bricks to the head and explosion in house traps from Home Alone 2 don’t come as close to as disturbing.
Rating: 6/10 – Decent
I’m aware some people I know of really hate this movie, but I think it’s okay for the most part. Certainly no where near as good as the first two though.
As for the negative reception, some of it I agree with, but some of it I don’t agree on.
One response to “Home Alone 3”
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Home Alone 3’s a steamy pile of dogshit like American Psycho 2 with Mila Kunis, instead of Christian Bale.
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