Vacation
Ed Helms (The Hangover) and Christina Applegate (Anchorman) are the next generation of Griswolds, following on from National Lampoon's Vacation, desperate to enjoy a family holiday with their two boys. Co-stars original Griswold Chevy Chase as Helms' dad, Leslie Mann (The Other Woman) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) wielding a mighty prosthetic... no, not a hammer. From the writers of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Horrible Bosses 2, making their directorial feature debuts.
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Giles Hardie
flicksStupid? Yes. Adults only? F--k Yes. Dumb family comedy? You betcha. And, well, Chevy Chase? Yes. Though, thankfully not much. That’s right, it’s a National Lampoon’s reboot as the Griswolds 2.0 go on an ill-conceived family vacation to Wally World. While that sentence alone is about as massive as the Berlin Wall when it comes to generation divides, the concept of terrible family holidays stands strong regardless of whether you are old enough to have journeyed with the original Griswolds through Europe, Christmas and countless other wayward Wally World pursuits.
Variety
pressTrades the earlier films’ endearing buffoonery for a cheap nastiness reminiscent of writers (and first-time directors) Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley’s “Horrible Bosses.”
Total Film
pressKids of the '80s who grew up watching the original on a worn-out VHS during summer holidays will feel postmodern warm-fuzzies, but Vacation virgins shouldn't feel left out.
Time Out
pressThese charmless characters are meant to learn that spending time with each other isn’t so bad, yet surviving 100 minutes with them is one of the great cinematic endurance tests of our time.
The Guardian
pressHelms, a funny performer, is just the face of a mining expedition for easy yuks out of a recognised title.
Rolling Stone
pressLeslie Mann and wild-card Chris Hemsworth, as her cock-flashing hubby, get the heartiest hoots. The rest is comic history warmed over.
Hollywood Reporter
pressThe filmmakers’ unsubtle style is responsible for killing many of the jokes. But they do succeed with several of the performers.
Empire Magazine
pressLess a reboot, more a hit-and-miss cover-version. The cast are game, Applegate especially, but the laughs flatten like a deflated tyre.
Flicks, Giles Hardie
flicksStupid? Yes. Adults only? F--k Yes. Dumb family comedy? You betcha. And, well, Chevy Chase? Yes. Though, thankfully not much. That’s right, it’s a National Lampoon’s reboot as the Griswolds 2.0 go on an ill-conceived family vacation to Wally World. While that sentence alone is about as massive as the Berlin Wall when it comes to generation divides, the concept of terrible family holidays stands strong regardless of whether you are old enough to have journeyed with the original Griswolds through Europe, Christmas and countless other wayward Wally World pursuits.
Variety
pressTrades the earlier films’ endearing buffoonery for a cheap nastiness reminiscent of writers (and first-time directors) Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley’s “Horrible Bosses.”
Total Film
pressKids of the '80s who grew up watching the original on a worn-out VHS during summer holidays will feel postmodern warm-fuzzies, but Vacation virgins shouldn't feel left out.
Time Out
pressThese charmless characters are meant to learn that spending time with each other isn’t so bad, yet surviving 100 minutes with them is one of the great cinematic endurance tests of our time.
The Guardian
pressHelms, a funny performer, is just the face of a mining expedition for easy yuks out of a recognised title.
Rolling Stone
pressLeslie Mann and wild-card Chris Hemsworth, as her cock-flashing hubby, get the heartiest hoots. The rest is comic history warmed over.
Hollywood Reporter
pressThe filmmakers’ unsubtle style is responsible for killing many of the jokes. But they do succeed with several of the performers.
Empire Magazine
pressLess a reboot, more a hit-and-miss cover-version. The cast are game, Applegate especially, but the laughs flatten like a deflated tyre.
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