Last week, while scrolling through Disney+, I realized that they added the first three Home Alone movies to their holiday collection. I felt a little nostalgic, so I decided to watch the entire franchise and rank them while I was at it. Here is my current ranking of the Home Alone movie series from worst to best:
- Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (HBO Max)
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Home Alone 4 is definitely the WORST movie of the franchise. They decided to feature an entirely new cast, then play it off as a continuation of the original. If they were planning to do that, they could’ve at least rehired a couple of the original actors. The new actors were not up to snuff, and the movie lacked the same vibe as the original because of it. The addition of the “evil stepmother” trope was also unnecessary and added nothing to the plot. I did appreciate the twist about Marv’s mother; it’s the only thing that spiced up the movie. It would’ve gotten a couple more points in my book if they would’ve played it as a spin-off of the original two films.
Rating: Terrible and not worth the watch. 2/10 (and the only reason it gets that much is because of Marv’s mother).
- Home Alone: Holiday Heist (HBO Max)
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There’s not much to say about this one. It honestly felt like Home Alone, but if it was a modern Hallmark Christmas movie (sorry, Hallmark, but I said what I said).
Rating: Forgettable. 3/10 for effort, but lacked any significant originality or pizzaz. Home Alone 3 was a better spin-off in my opinion.
- Home Alone 3 (Disney+)
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This movie is better than the other two but still mediocre. The plot was okay. It didn’t particularly impress me, but it wasn’t horrible. I appreciated that the villains were supposed to be a step up from Marv and Harry since they were supposed to be international criminals. However, I can’t help but think that they lost a little bit of the magic that came with the dynamic between Kevin, Harry, and Marv in the original and sequel in making that decision. It also features a young Scarlett Johansson, which does nothing for the plot, but I just thought it was worth mentioning.
Rating: The best of two spin-offs in the franchise, but it doesn’t hold its own compared to the first two. 5/10
- Home Alone (Disney+)
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Ok, I know some people are going to have a problem with the placement of this movie. However, I felt like the sequel just edged this one out as the best in the franchise. No shade to this one, though! It’s a classic for a good reason.
Rating: A must-watch holiday movie! It only gets an 8/10 because I thought the sequel was slightly better.
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Disney+)
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There’s a reason why this is at the top of this list, and it’s because it’s the masterpiece of the series. Is it similar to the first Home Alone? Yes. Does it have a similar plot? Also yes. HOWEVER, setting this movie in New York City gives Kevin a whole new (and much more interesting) playground throughout the film. The stunts are even funnier because they had no choice but to step it up to give this movie a fighting chance to be as good as the original. I also love that they gave Kevin a philanthropy streak. Bonus points for featuring Rob Schneider (Grown Ups) as a snobby bellboy and the late John Candy (Uncle Buck, Spaceballs) as the lead singer of a polka band.
Rating: It’s really just the first movie done on a larger scale, but that’s why I love it! 9/10
Final Thoughts: If you haven’t seen any of the Home Alone movies, I would definitely recommend watching the first two! They’re so funny and perfect to add to your holiday watchlist. If you have seen Home Alone and Home Alone 2, the last three aren’t worth your time. Happy watching!
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