Some movies should just not be sequelized. I don't care how popular something was, if the original had a happy ending, leave it there. Don't go on. Disaster awaits you on that road. I'd list examples, but I'm sure you can think of a few yourself.
The Parent Trap II isn't terrible, but it's a far cry from the 1961 feature film, which I happen to like very much. In that movie, teenage twin girls Sharon and Susan (separated as babies) reunite at a summer camp and then scheme to get their divorced parents back together. In order to do this, they must drive away their father's witchy girlfriend, Vicky, while trying to "set up" their parents. It works, there are wedding bells, tra la la, what more could you want?
Then along comes this sequel, and we learn that Sharon is a divorcee with an 11-year-old daughter, Nikki. Nikki makes a new best friend, Mary, at summer school, and in order to prevent Sharon & Nikki from moving to New York, the girls decide to pair up Sharon with Mary's father, Bill. They do this by being sneaky, twerpy little liars. Their antics are nowhere near endearing, and at no point did I ever feel sorry for them (as I had with Sharon and Susan in the 1961 film). In fact, I was so annoyed with the girls, that I was actually hoping Sharon and Bill wouldn't get together at all! That'd teach them!
When Bill and Sharon don't fall in love at first sight, cupids Mary and Nikki call for reinforcements -- they summon Susan. Susan pretends to be Sharon and attempts to woo Bill on Sharon's behalf. Hilarity ensues... except not. Confusion and forehead smacking, yes. Stupidity and "wait a minute, weren't you wearing a different outfit a minute ago?" jokes, yes. But those were SO 1961! A homage to the original film? Perhaps. But still cheesy.
To Sharon's credit, once she figures out what's going on, she uses her wits to turn the tables on Susan and the girls. That's the Sharon we know! No dumb mama, here.
In the end, it's love and romance all around. Dammit -- the brats get their way! The fact that I'm angry about that just proves how obnoxious this movie's plot is.
There's a Parent Trap III, too (which I've never seen) and even a fourth (which I saw when I was 9 and remember nothing about), but I doubt I'll actively seek out either of those. It's 60's Hayley from now on for me.
