With currently six movies in the franchise, theHome Alonefilms always seem to draw audiences in with the promise of fun, wacky traps. Not all traps are created equal, however, and some stand out above others as the most creative, elaborate, or simply entertaining to watch unfold! Here are the top 13 traps from across all theHome Alonemovies.
13. Sesame Spinner (Home Alone 4: Taking Back The House)
Being the only entry on this list from the fourth installment ofHome Alone, the sesame spinner is the movie’s best attempt at utilizing the setting of a smart home. In the movie, Kevin (played here byMike Weinberg) uses the home’s revolving bookcase/bar to spin Marv (played here byFrench Stewart) and Vera (Missi Pyle) around and around, constantly increasing the speed with the codeword “sesame” before eventually launching them out. While this movie overall does not utilize traps as much as any other film in the franchise, the spinning bookcase is the most entertaining and creative display of Kevin’s abilities compared to the other traps presented in the film.
12. Burning Doorknob (Home Alone)
The burning doorknob from the firstHome Alonemovie was a classic trap that left a lasting mark not just on the hand of Harry (played byJoe Pesci), but in the minds of viewers as well. The execution of heating up the doorknob as well as seeing the branded “M” on Harry’s hand shows that there were great traps from the very beginning of the franchise’s lifetime, and it also showed that a trap does not necessarily have to be complex to be excellent and memorable.
11. Trampoline Fake Out (Home Sweet Home Alone)
The most recent movie in theHome Aloneseries just released in November on Disney+, and with it comes some creative re-imaginings on traps that have been seen in the past. While the concept of the trampoline trap was first utilized inHome Alone 3, the one seen inHome Sweet Home Alonegives it a bit of a curve ball. When Jeff (Rob Delaney) attempts to jump onto a trampoline to catch Max (Archie Yates), Max retaliates by pulling the trampoline onto an angle, which instead sends Jeff flying into the thick branch of a tree. This trap works well because the twist happens very quickly, catching the audience by surprise as much as Jeff.
10. Door Flame Trap (Home Alone)
One of the more elaborate traps in the first film, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) set up a trap to ignite the head of whichever bandit snuck in through the rigged door first. While the setup required a bit of forward thought, the execution ends up being simple yet satisfying. Once again, the first movie was the pillar that set the standard for traps, and the simple execution of the trap does not take away from the satisfaction that is felt when it is successfully triggered.
9. Sweet-Tooth Sabotage (Home Alone: The Holiday Heist)
Being the paranoid child he was, Finn Baxter (Christian Martyn) was very perceptive when a few gingerbread cookies went missing while everyone was away from the home. Once he found out the source of the missing baked goods, he decided to make a new batch, this time with some altercations to the recipe. Instead of sweet icing, Finn used a mix that included hot sauce, and instead of milk he left out a glass of glue. To top off the trap, he clogged the sink with cotton. What resulted was a gullible criminal taking a bite of a gingerbread man that he just could not resist, then attempting to soothe the spicy taste with what he thought was milk. Obviously disgusted with what he actually tried to drink, he then attempted to run the sink before being covered around the mouth with cotton. What makes this trap work so well is the attention to detail that Finn had, and the execution that played out in three parts for ultimate satisfaction.
Also fromHome Alone: The Holiday Heist, this trap takes inspiration from a common theme amongst other films: floor hazards. When Finn is shown to be placing large beads from the family Christmas tree along the floor of the garage, most would simply presume that this is an attempt to make the ground difficult to traverse. While this is somewhat true, the actual trap itself isn’t revealed until it is sprung, and that is the activation of the snowplow that is also in the garage. When the garage door opens, the snowplow turns on, and it chucks the beads right towards the face of the crook attempting to break in. The subversion of what audiences expect from a trap is what places it here on the list.
7. Doorknob Staple Gun Spool Trap (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)
The utilization of loose doorknobs in the home being renovated is simply genius on the part of Kevin, and the first display of this unique opportunity involves tying string on the doorknob so that when it is pulled off it triggers a staple gun to shoot out at Marv (Daniel Stern). Not only does this trap get multiple uses as Marv accidentally triggers it again and again, but the design also showed just how creative Kevin could be. In addition, showing it off right at the beginning of the trap segment of the film lets the audience know that they are in store for some fresh new ideas when it comes to deterring the bad guys.
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6. K.O. Closet Sucker Punch (Home Alone 3)
Part of what makes this trap memorable is the fact that Alex Pruitt (Alex D. Linz) has to carefully trigger this trap prematurely to avoid harming his mother. The audience then gets to see how Alex has set the trap up, and when it comes time for it to work against the home intruder, it is preceded by the triggering of a doll to make a crying child noise. This noise lures Mr. Beaupre (Aleksander Krupa) to open the door, expecting to find a scared child and instead getting a boxing glove launched right into his body. This is another scenario where it is one of the earlier traps sprung in the film and getting to see how Alex arms the trap gives the audience insight into what he is capable of doing. This is also incredibly important as it is the firstHome Alonefilm to not star Kevin, and Alex needed to be able to stand on his own as a devious genius.
5. Billiard Ball Gun (Home Sweet Home Alone)
Going back to the most recent entry in the franchise,Home Sweet Home Alonealso shows off a creative mod that Max makes towards a toy gun. He somehow transforms it into a launcher that shoots out billiard balls, and it gets a lot of use throughout the film. It is Max’s primary defense against the home intruders, and it certainly packs a punch. By the time the film is winding down from the trap springing hi-jinks, he has the intruders begging to not shoot them because it is just that powerful.
4. Trampoline Pool Trap (Home Alone 3)
Briefly mentioned earlier in the list,Home Alone 3is where the use of a trampoline is first seen, and it is one of the last traps sprung in the film. It is the trap that takes two of the home intruders out of the equation, and it involves a lot of clever thinking from Alex. What he does is remove and transfer the handles of a pool over to the right of where the pool actually is, thus giving the illusion that the pool is farther to the right of the backyard. Next, Alex places the trampoline over the pool cover, which has been blanketed in thick snow. The end result is a trampoline right over an icy pool, and while nothing seems out of the ordinary upon first glance, all it took was one jump from the two criminals to force the trampoline through the frozen top of the pool and into the frigid waters below.
