2015’s Daddy’s Home was a sufficiently big enough success to warrant this sequel. The original film was fairly pedestrian but with the Christmas setting and the cast additions, I was happy to give the sequel a go. Brad (Will Ferrell) and Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) seemingly are now getting on fine and agree to spend the Christmas together with both families for the first time. But when their Dads, played by John Lithgow and Mel Gibson arrive, things begin to unravel.
The first hour of this was a surprisingly fun time. The slapstick moments were well staged and Gibson is great as the alpha male ex-astronaut. I could easily have seen it becoming part of my Christmas film rota in years to come. However, in the last half hour it descends into a horrible sentimental mush, climaxing with an excruciating rendition of Do They Know it’s Christmas in a cinema foyer. I had given the brattish kids a pass earlier but they really began to grate by the end. The only saving grace of the final act was the brilliant idea for the film they were going to see, Liam Neeson starring festive actioner, Missile Tow!
Rating: 5 out of 10