990WBOB
Menu

Bad Santa 2: Same Crude Humor, Now with Fewer Laughs

11/28/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Anthony Faccenda

As far as sequels go, Bad Santa 2 isn't horrible..

...But it's still totally unnecessary.

​As a standalone film, the original Bad Santa is a holiday classic and one of the funniest movies of the 2000s. At the time, it was shocking, crude, reprehensible, but still heartwarming. It also, for better or for worse, inspired countless "Bad" imitators like Bad Teacher, Bad Grandpa, and Bad Moms, to name a few.


This time around, Willy (Billy Bob Thorton) and his sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox) try to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Helping the duo is Willy's long lost mom Sunny (Kathy Bates), who is fresh out of prison. Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) is also back, much to the chagrin of Willy's crew.

Despite the familiar plot, Bad Santa 2 doesn't come close to the original. Part of the problem are the missing cast members from the first film. Lauren Graham, who had great chemistry with Thorton in the original, is sorely missed. Also, the absence of the late actors Bernie Mack and John Ritter cannot be ignored.

Filling in for Graham is Mad Men's Christina Hendricks, but her role is ultimately forgettable and could have been played by anyone. The Oscar-winning Kathy Bates simply isn't funny as Willy's mom. She has a couple amusing lines, but even a fine actress such as Bates can't overcome the unfunny dialogue she's been given. While it was funny to hear her call Thorton a "shit stick" the first time and to learn the phrase's origin, it was annoying the thirtieth time the phrase was uttered.

Thorton is serviceable as Willy and delivers several laugh-out-loud lines sprinkled throughout the film, but nothing memorable. That's not to say that Thorton isn't funny, he just doesn't have anything new to bring to the table, which comes down to lack of good writing.

Ultimately, the only character worth caring about is Thurman. When we last saw Thurman he was an awkward and overweight young boy and now he's an awkward and overweight 21-year-old man. As was true with the previous film, Kelly does a great job injecting heart into the movie, as is evident in a couple thoughtful scenes with Thorton.

That being said, the magic just isn't there this time out. There are enough amusing crude jokes and gags to keep viewers laughing, but there isn't enough heart to keep audiences engaged and committed to the characters. Also, what was shocking and bold in the original now seems tired and stale. The end credits, which features "found photos" has been done before and was a painfully unfunny way to end the film.

As is true with the Anchorman and Zoolander sequels, Bad Santa 2's plot is recycled and the actors (aside from Kelly) just seem to be going through the motions. And ultimately, it's 13 years too late for anyone to really care. While it isn't horrible, Bad Santa 2 certainly isn't a worthy sequel by any means.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Read More 990WBOB

  • Hall of Fame Consideration
  • Movie Review: Arrival is a High Concept Sci-Fi Movie with a Brain
  • Punk Rock Icon Henry Rollins Chats with Tony Jones Ahead of Spoken Word Show at The Met
  • Friday Five Alive: Christmas Commandos
Comments

    WBOB
    Original
    ​Reads

    Picture

    Unbiased, Unfiltered. WBOB's Original Reads feature our brightest and boldest personalities, offering their two-cents on the goings on of news, sports, politics, entertainment, and business. -- Are our opinions always PC? Nope. Are they always perfect? Nah. But, are they always 100% authentic? Absolutely!


    LISTEN
    ​TO WBOB ORIGINAL PODCASTS

    Picture
    Listen to
    ​Past BOBCasts

    WBOB 
    Best Reads
    Brought To You By
    TripAdvisor.com

    Picture

    Celebrating David Clyde: A Wild Passionate Friend To All


    Picture

    Search 
    The Archives


    Reads From Our Friends

    Picture

    The Best Game Development Tools: How to Make Your Own Game

    Picture
    Proud Sponsor of 990WBOB


    Contact Us
    info@990WBOB.com


Search For Your Favorite WBOB Author,
​or BobCast

Featured Supporters

990WBOB 
An Independent Media Outlet.

The views opinions and thoughts expressed do not  reflect those of 990WBOB, its management or its staff. All Rights Reserved 990WBOB.com 2007-2020
​
Contact WBOB HERE

WBOB Reads

Weather

Live BOBCasts

Past Casts

Contact Us

Join Our Team!

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Photo used under Creative Commons from nzhamstar
  • WBOB READS
  • WBOB Radio
    • The Rotunda
    • RI Red Radio
  • Past Casts
  • Radiothon
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • F Bomb Friday
    • CHARITY GALA
  • WBOB READS
  • WBOB Radio
    • The Rotunda
    • RI Red Radio
  • Past Casts
  • Radiothon
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • F Bomb Friday
    • CHARITY GALA