DADDY'S HOME 2

Daddy's Home was a bit of a damp squib, particularly after Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg shared such good chemistry in The Other Guys a few years before. That being said, the door was always left open for a sequel, and with the likes of John Lithgow, Mel Gibson and John Cena joining the cast, I was definitely expecting Daddy's Home 2 to be a better comedy.

Brad (Will Ferrell) and Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) have put their differences aside however, their kids are fed up with the fact they spend Christmas between two homes, a result of having a father and stepfather. Problems mount when both their fathers (John Lithgow and Mel Gibson) invite themselves to spend the Christmas holiday with the family.

Comedy sequels don't usually outdo their predecessor however, that is most definitely the case with Daddy's Home 2, the main reason being the additions to the cast who make this a much more enjoyable experience. It's by no means a great comedy but it did make me laugh a lot more than the previous film.

John Lithgow and Mel Gibson are two most welcome additions to the cast, giving off the complete opposite vibe from one another and the moments they share with their screen sons key to the film being more successful. Thankfully the chemistry between Ferrell and Wahlberg has improved too, Ferrell in particular not being as irritating as before. John Cena, who's shown signs of potential comedy chops before, is unfortunately wasted as the rival to Dusty, which is disappointing as it would have been great to see Wahlberg and Cena go head-to-head properly.

Some of the jokes do fail to land, an ill-judged running joke of Gibson's grandfather being obsessed with getting his grandchildren to possess a firearm for hunting being the one that missed the mark by a mile. There were some moments that had me laughing hard though, which always tends to happen when Ferrell is involved however, if you're not a fan of awkward family bonding with awful singing, this may not be the film for you. I quite liked it but it could be a major turn-off for some viewers.

All in all, Daddy's Home 2 is a harmless comedy that offers plenty of fun and a dynamic between Ferrell, Wahlberg, Lithgow and Gibson that is really hard to not find amusing. There's also a great cameo towards the end for anyone who's into that sort of thing.

Verdict: ★★★