It’s very easy to be cynical about Christmas. From the
early department store decorations to the barrage of tinsel everywhere, it’s
understandable why the season grates. Such a time is ripe for
mickey-taking which ‘Bad Santa 2’ does with glee. Hardly a comedy that
would give Shakespeare pause, it also doesn’t wallow in fake sentimentality.
It’s gritty and proud of it with the ‘bah humbug’ motif in overdrive with a
Santa stores would hesitate to hire.
Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) is a thieving layabout
always on the make. Scheming to steal more booty, he is ably assisted by
sidekicks Marcus (Tony Cox) and Thurman (Brett Kelly). Aiming to knock
off a charity on Christmas Eve, he dons a Santa suit to grab some loot. His
plans go awry with the arrival of his horrid mother Sunny (Kathy Bates).
As wicked as Willie, Sunny determines to score big. The bizarre rabble
quickly scheme to bring their own black yuletide cheer while indulging in a
spot of festive fisticuffs.
‘Bad Santa 2’ won’t win any Oscars and nor does it need
to. It’s there to raise a few laughs at the expense of an over-hyped
holiday period. It does this with ease as Mark Waters’ direction makes
full use of the premise. Populated by a bunch of unlikeable miscreants,
the plot goes from one gag to another. If one falls short there’s another
quickly taking its place with the performer’s great comedic timing
evident. Mostly free of bodily function jokes, the threadbare script
makes an effort to create mirth which is welcome.
The cast is populated by old hands who know the routine by
now. The main quartet of Thornton and company effortlessly gel as a team
and manage to inject some humanity in their cartoonish characters. Their
ability to switch from verbal to physical comedy is amusing to watch even if
clichés creep into the screenplay. The entire film looks like a living
comic book with plenty of colour and sound to keep the rhythm at a constant
speed.
Although it’s a silly load of nonsense ‘Bad Santa 2’ offers
breezy and crude laughs. A message or two can be found amongst the
hijinks but it’s generally a vehicle for skewering the festive season. It does
so well turning the once sacred motif of jingle bells into a definite version
of unholy jingle hells.
Movie Review Rating out of 10: 6
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
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