bad santa 2 (2016) Review
Bad Santa 2 is an unfunny retread and lesser version of the original in every way. It’s almost as if the people who made it never saw the first one. Bad Santa, despite all the cursing, yelling, and violence, conveyed a feel-good message of positivity that works for a dark comedy that is also a holiday film. Its simple story rested upon the sympathetic bedrock of the innocently impressionable Thurman. Thurman’s plight coupled with the less than guaranteed redemption of Willie created a canvas on which to tell the type of story moviegoers stand up and clap for. This critically important emotional core is completely absent from the sequel. It comes as little surprise that essentially none of the directors, writers and producers of the original returned. Kathy Bates joins the cast as Willie’s mom and her character is viciously uninteresting. Every moment she is on screen is a depressing reminder of the toxic environment Willie grew up in. Bates sleepwalks through the role and her attempts at shocking us feel less like dark comedy and more like Bates collecting a paycheck. I guess Introducing Willie’s mom is a win for the screenplay in the backwards sense that we now fully understand how he never had a chance. Merry Christmas.
Bad Santa 2 is bad. Watch the original instead and if you are looking for other holiday films to watch, I recommend The Santa Clause and Jingle All the Way. 1/10