The Home Alone films are best remembered for their elaborate trap sequences, where slapstick violence is pushed to cartoonish extremes without ever crossing into bloody territory. Bricks to the head, falls from great heights, and flaming scalps are treated with the same logic (or lack thereof) as classic cartoon shows such as Tom & Jerry.
But that balance was upended last week on Saturday Night Live, which aired a Home Alone parody that leaned heavily into graphic violence.
In the sketch, American pop singer and actress Ariana Grande (Wicked For Good) played Kevin McCallister (played in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York by Macaulay Culkin) in a gender-swapped take on the character. This time, however, Kevin has forgotten to dismantle his booby traps before his parents return home, leading to a series of violent, blood-splattered deaths as the house claims his entire family. Yikes!
Though it’s nothing more than a silly parody of the 1990 film, the sketch marks a tonal shift for the franchise’s familiar setup, presenting the traps as actual lethal devices more in line with the Final Destination movies than family comedy. Watch the full skit below:
Related: Macaulay Culkin Returns as Kevin McCallister in New ‘Home Alone’ Shorts | Disney Dining
This violent parody also echoes a long-standing fan theory that Kevin McCallister is essentially a child version of the Saw franchise antagonist Jigsaw. The theory points to Kevin’s meticulous planning, moral justification for punishment, and willingness to inflict extreme harm on his enemies. Of course, it’s nothing more than a fun theory — Home Alone is a family-friendly franchise (putting aside all those mean traps, of course).
This year, Home Alone (1990) turns 35 years old. Recently, Macaulay Culkin pitched his idea for a legacy sequel to the original two films, and, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two films, criticized the four sequels that followed (Home Alone 3 through Home Sweet Home Alone), saying, “It just went downhill from there; Home Alone 3 is sort of the best of the bunch of the bad movies.”
All six Home Alone movies are now streaming on Disney+.
What do you think of this new SNL Home Alone skit? Share your reviews in the comments below!
