Bad Santa 2 Review

Bad Santa 2
Director: Mark Waters
Cast Headliners: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Kathy Bates
Original Release Date: November 23rd, 2016


 If it weren't for the first Bad Santa, there wouldn't have been the modern trend of edgy comedy films seen in things like The Night Before. Years later, the main crew(and more) return in Bad Santa 2. It earns some gold amidst its stocking of coal.

Years have passed, just as in real-time, since the first film and Willie Soke(Billy Bob Thornton) hasn't changed much from his criminal, holiday posing days or in fact hasn't changed at all. He still is a drunk, a jerk, a pervert, and a comedian. Events transpire to bring him back with his sidekick little friend Marcus Skidmore(Tony Cox) to a charity in Chicago. Events even bring back the now 21 year old boy Thurman Merman(Brett Kelly) with them as well.

There's a lot of pretty good comedy between these three just like the first. The humor is edgy and swearingly vulgar filled but that's what one would want for this film. It also helps that there's a strong new additon in Willie's mother Sunny(Kathy Bates). She manages to even out-darkness Willie. Another ok if barely involved addition is charity director Diane(Christina Hendricks) who is less of a humor and romantic lead than the first film's.

The core scenes where it's Thornton interacting with Cox/Bates/Kelly are realy funny. The larger formula possibly even out-humors the first film. But all of the holiday gimmicked edge has been done before. It's that blend of dark, edgy, and even a bit of dramatic melancholy emotion that stands out.

The core plot runs in circles a bit with some alright moments of action and espionage. Like the first, it's about a heist. Here it's one specific location and tighter knit. But that makes the stakes a bit sillier and lower.

 There's not much else to say about this one. It's got a funny bad Santa in Thornton, with some good new characters like the mom in Bates and the grown up Thurman. But it's more of the same as the first with less of the satire and uniqueness. But one will laugh tis the season. 6.95 out of 10