Read Mixed User Reviews for Vacation

4

horcrux2007Aug 1, 2015

Out of all the reboots and remakes being made today, a reboot of the National Lampoon's Vacation series is one that I would never expect to need a reboot. I love the original Vacation series, even the ill-received Vegas Vacation, and evenOut of all the reboots and remakes being made today, a reboot of the National Lampoon's Vacation series is one that I would never expect to need a reboot. I love the original Vacation series, even the ill-received Vegas Vacation, and even though I had low expectations for the newest installment in the series, I was looking forward to a new Vacation movie. Boy was this a letdown. This time around, Rusty decides that he is going to take his family to Walley World before it closes forever, and Rusty promises that this time "will be different" than the first time he went to Walley World. They set off in their bizarre European car to the amusement park, and the usual Griswold madness ensues. While there are a couple of laughs to be found on this trip to Walley World, the new Vacation is just a raunchier and much more mean-spirited version of the original film, making for a rather awkward and sometimes even unpleasant viewing. A lot of the humor in the first movie was dramatic rather than situational. The jokes would happen while the scene played normally, rather than having scenes that only existed for the punch-line. It more closely resembles Adam Sandler's fun yet disappointing Grown Ups than any of the first Vacation movies. Probably the worst thing about this movie was that, in the first movie, Clark made it seem like Walley World was the greatest place on Earth, so there was a sense of urgency on the trip there, and it made us feel some sympathy for the Griswold's whenever something bad happened to them on the way. In this movie, the destination is never made out to be some spectacular place, which really didn't make me feel like it was that big of a deal when the Griswolds found themselves in a pool of human waste or going white water rafting with a suicidal tour guide. The new Vacation is much more of a misfire than a disaster, since it is a fun movie at times, but you won't find much to like about this movie, even if you're a die-hard fan of the other Vacation films.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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4

DCEdmondsAug 3, 2015

"Vacation" 10 Scale Rating: 4.0 (Bad) ...

The Good: When it works, it works well. On more than a couple of occasions, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Christina Applegate, for example, was much funnier than expected and Chris"Vacation" 10 Scale Rating: 4.0 (Bad) ...

The Good: When it works, it works well. On more than a couple of occasions, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Christina Applegate, for example, was much funnier than expected and Chris Hemsworth's scenes (while fairly brief) were also amusing. The real stars of the film though was the kids. Played by Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins, the pair stole the show when it was their turn to provide the laughs. The film also had a few good cameos, highlighted by Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprising their roles from previous Vacation films. The story itself wasn't a bad idea as far as remakes/re-boots go. Re-visiting the Giswalds, with Rusty now as the father figure for his own family, is a comedic premise with a lot of potential.

The Bad: Unfortunately, the film doesn't capitalize on that potential. The main issues is Ed Helms, who is hands down the weak link of the cast. Usually sufficiently funny, Helms never quite clicks as Rusty Griswald and the majority of his scenes fall flat. Furthermore, some of the cameos are almost painful to watch as some of their scenes drag on, despite not being even remotely funny. Lastly, unlike previous Vacation films, this offering lacks any semblance of heart or charm. Relying way too much on gross-out humor and random acts of violence, the film simply tries too hard to live up to it's predecessors when it should have focused more on being a solid comedy.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

TheKavehJAug 6, 2015

The thing about Vacation is, its pretty good and bad at the same time. First, I thought it was hilarious. I was laughing the whole time. The problem with it is the last 30 minutes or so or uneventful, unneeded, and boring. Overall, I didn'tThe thing about Vacation is, its pretty good and bad at the same time. First, I thought it was hilarious. I was laughing the whole time. The problem with it is the last 30 minutes or so or uneventful, unneeded, and boring. Overall, I didn't think it was as bad as everybody said it was.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

preciouskikiAug 2, 2015

• PROS: Wonderful cast, and everyone is funny and sometimes even a little bit touching. Ed Helms is just naturally likable and very funny. His Rusty character has a good heart and isn't afraid to show his vulnerabilities to his wife, and• PROS: Wonderful cast, and everyone is funny and sometimes even a little bit touching. Ed Helms is just naturally likable and very funny. His Rusty character has a good heart and isn't afraid to show his vulnerabilities to his wife, and that adds to the movie's charm. Christina Applegate is spot-on perfect as the wife and is also very funny. I loved the characters of the older son (Skyler Gisondo) and Rusty's sister Audrey and her husband (the always-wonderful Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth). Charlie Day is very funny as the white-water rafting guide. The references to the original movie are also clever, and it was good to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo.

• CONS: I really could have done without the scatalogical humor. Too much vomit and feces humor. If you want to throw in a touch of that stuff to appeal to modern audiences, OK, I can handle it, but this movie does go overboard with that stuff. It goes on too long, and I had to look away. With a cast as immensely talented as this one, you don't NEED to resort to that kind of bathroom humor. Although it was great to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, their characters deserved better writing. Same thing goes for the youngest son Kevin (Steele Stebbins). They made him too unlikeable and foul-mouthed. It's not that I mind the curse words, because I swear like a sailor, but if you're going to have those words come out of a little kid's mouth, it should be funnier.

• THE UPSHOT: If you go into it with moderate expectations, you will probably enjoy it. Don't believe the people who are giving it really bad reviews. I've seen better, but I've seen worse. I'd like to see Ed Helms and Christina Applegate in more movies, as they are both very entertaining performers.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

TrilobiteGAug 31, 2015

There was one scene where a laughed my ass off and there were a few sweet scenes, but vacation is ultimately in the layer of comedies that are here for a while then forgotten with poor plot points and scenes that make you exclaim 'What? ThatThere was one scene where a laughed my ass off and there were a few sweet scenes, but vacation is ultimately in the layer of comedies that are here for a while then forgotten with poor plot points and scenes that make you exclaim 'What? That would never happen'. Oh, and the little brother in this movie? Go f*ck yourself, one of the most annoying characters in cinema history.l… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

violinguy88Aug 11, 2015

Two things stood out when I watched Vacation - first, this film does not resemble any of the original films in any way except in its characters; and second - it is, despite its many failings, a pretty funny movie.

Those expecting to seeTwo things stood out when I watched Vacation - first, this film does not resemble any of the original films in any way except in its characters; and second - it is, despite its many failings, a pretty funny movie.

Those expecting to see the good clean fun of the original films will be sorely disappointed. This film, while quite funny at times, is extremely R-rated. It's almost as if the filmmakers decided that they were going to get an R rating anyways, so why not go for it. The language was astounding, even in the opening music (it reminded me a bit of Office Space in its use of explicit gangster rap). And don't even get me started on the pedophile jokes. They were everywhere, and I even caught myself laughing during the big "reveal" toward the end with a hilarious guest star. Then I turned to my wife and said, "Wait, that's not funny at all."

The film did have lots of laughs, but the story was a bit predictable. There were attempts at seriousness here and there, but they only detracted from the film rather than add any emotional strings to pull at. The kids in the film are good, but their conflict is resolved in a very strange and unfunny way. The addition of Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo was nice, but Chevy looked tired and his ol' reliable clumsy gags were forced.

Let me also say that Ed Helms is (and has always been) a superior comedic talent. If not for him, this film would be complete garbage. He gives 100% throughout and delivers a terrific performance. And yes, he even sings. Again.

So, while this movie is being killed by the critics, it is certainly worth a look if you want some cheap, profane, and gross laughs. Ed Helms is a star, even in a film as flawed as this one.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

Jess_HillAug 23, 2015

Whilst I laughed a great deal throughout, this film doesn't have enough heart to make you care about the characters. The charm of the original films lay in the fact that you were ultimately sympathetic to the Griswald's in their naiveWhilst I laughed a great deal throughout, this film doesn't have enough heart to make you care about the characters. The charm of the original films lay in the fact that you were ultimately sympathetic to the Griswald's in their naive attempts to bond, making this more of a parody rather than a reboot. The tropes are worn, the dialogue is peppered with an over abundance of expletives that have no purpose, the storyline is predictable, and the humour is solid but nothing new, relying heavily on well-worn ideas - the requisite mix of toilet humour, slapstick, sexism and obligatory 80's style gratuitous nudity get laughs in the moment, but nothing particularly memorable. 5.22/10… Expand

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6

TVJerryAug 20, 2015

Ed Helms plays adult Rusty Griswold (the son from the original movie), who takes his family cross country to Walley World. Their trip has plenty of mishaps: some of them are genuinely funny and many are gross or crude. The most enjoyableEd Helms plays adult Rusty Griswold (the son from the original movie), who takes his family cross country to Walley World. Their trip has plenty of mishaps: some of them are genuinely funny and many are gross or crude. The most enjoyable character is actually the young brother (Steele Stebbins), who's a foul-mouth bully (sure, it's an easy joke, but he pulled it off). The first hour is peppy and liberally sprinkled with laugh-out-loud gags. The second half loses some of the comic momentum, but the soundtrack adds musical energy. NOTE: Don't miss the opening montage of hilarious vacation fotos gone bad (actually, the comic highlight of the film).… Expand