‘The Family Plan 2’ (2025) Apple TV+ Movie Review - When Spy Dad Returns, Chaos Follows

I went into The Family Plan 2 with the kind of hope you save for sequels that genuinely don’t need to exist but show up anyway, like the guest who swore they couldn’t make it to the party and then arrives with snacks. The first film wasn’t exactly a life-altering masterpiece, but it had charm, a goofy warmth, and enough Mark Wahlberg dad-energy to carry the whole thing. So I figured, why not? Let’s see what a second round looks like. Turns out, it looks like a movie that is constantly trying to decide whether it wants to be a spy comedy, a family drama, or a two-hour, slightly chaotic reminder that even secret agents can’t outrun screaming teenagers and marital tension.

The plot kicks off with Dan Morgan (Wahlberg, still somehow both confused and cocky at the same time) attempting to live a quiet suburban life after the events of the first film. But peace lasts about twelve minutes before a new threat emerges from his past. One minute he’s at a school function pretending he understands TikTok references, and the next he’s dragging his entire family into another layered mess involving double-crosses, old grudges, and a villain who delivers every line like he’s trying to win an award for “Most Dramatic Eyebrow Movement.” Honestly, I respected that level of commitment.

The family dynamics, surprisingly, are one of the strongest parts of the movie. Michelle Monaghan returns as Jessica, who gets significantly more to do this time. She’s not just the exasperated spouse; she’s the unwilling but capable partner who constantly reminds Dan that being a spy doesn’t excuse forgetting to pick up groceries. Their chemistry is believable in that “we love each other but also might smother each other with a pillow tonight” way that feels real. Their kids, now older and much more opinionated, add the right amount of teenage chaos, although sometimes the film leans too hard into Gen Z stereotypes, like it’s checking off a demographic requirement.

Visually, the movie does have its moments. There are some legitimately slick action sequences, one involving a highway chase that feels surprisingly refined for a film that also includes a baby screaming through half the runtime. The director seems determined to prove that comedy films can still deliver competent stunt work, and honestly, it's good for him. The problem is that those polished scenes occasionally clash with the movie’s more awkward humor, making the tone wobble like a toddler on a skateboard.

Speaking of humor, here’s where my patience wavered. The movie tries really, really hard to be funny. And sometimes it is—the dry one-liners, the accidental-injury moments, the family bickering that feels like someone recorded a real road trip. But for every joke that lands, there are two that absolutely face-plant. Some bits stretch so long that I could feel my spirit gently exiting my body, like, “We get it, the car is stuck, please move on.” It almost feels like the writers tried to take every gag from the first movie and turn each one into a trilogy of its own. More is not always more, and The Family Plan 2 is the proof.

The villain subplot isn’t terrible, but it’s also not particularly memorable. The bad guy has the emotional depth of someone who lost a parking spot and swore revenge. He’s entertaining, sure, but I never once felt like the stakes were actually high. If he succeeded, what would happen? Mild inconvenience? A strongly worded email? Hard to say. The movie insists everything is urgent, but delivers that urgency the way I deliver promises to start going to the gym: full of enthusiasm and absolutely devoid of follow-through.

Still, credit where it’s due: Mark Wahlberg knows how to play a reluctant hero. Dan’s attempts at balancing fatherhood with espionage are genuinely amusing, and his exhausted reactions to every new disaster feel relatable in a “I’ve had exactly one hour of sleep” way. The family chemistry, while chaotic, is sweet and carries the emotional weight that the plot often forgets to support. There are moments—brief, fleeting moments—when the movie almost becomes something heartfelt. A scene between Dan and his son stands out for grounding the film in something human, even if the next scene immediately catapults us back into nonsense.

The pacing, however, needs therapy. The movie feels both too long and too rushed, as if scenes were glued together during a mild power outage. Some developments are sped through, others drag, and the whole thing has the rhythm of someone trying to walk after stepping on a LEGO. You can follow the story, but you’ll trip a few times.

And yet… I cannot deny that I laughed. Not always for the reasons the filmmakers intended, but I laughed. There’s a certain charm in watching a movie completely commit to its own absurdity. It doesn’t always work, but it tries, and there’s something oddly endearing about a film that refuses to quit even while tripping over its own shoelaces.

By the time the final act rolls around—a mix of sentimental family bonding and an action sequence that looks like it was storyboarded during a sugar high—I found myself weirdly invested. Not deeply invested, but invested enough to want to know how they pull it off. The ending ties things up in a way that’s predictable but satisfying, even if it does leave a few threads dangling in case someone decides the world desperately needs The Family Plan 3 (spoiler: it doesn’t, but that probably won’t stop anyone).

Ultimately, The Family Plan 2 is chaotic, uneven, often ridiculous, and occasionally delightful. It’s a movie that tries very hard, sometimes too hard, but delivers just enough charm and competent action to keep it from collapsing under its own weight. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. I rolled my eyes, I chuckled, I questioned my life choices, and I ate popcorn. And honestly? That’s not the worst way to spend two hours.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times