by: Andres Eloy Sereno Hernandez
edited by: E.R. Pulgar
“Horrible Bosses” screenwriters Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley have brought viewers a twist on the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” film series, which promises laughter, strong bawdy humor and a “new vacation” that “will stand on its own.” The result is a lot of hit and misses and great set-ups that segue into badly executed jokes, leaving audiences with a feeling reminiscent of great foreplay without a climax.
The film finds Rusty Griswold (played in the original by Anthony Michael Hall, now by Ed Helms), 30 years older, and looking forward to dragging his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate), his humdrum older son James (Skyler Gisondo) and his youngest son Kevin (Steele Stebbins) to their usual holiday escapade in Sheboygan. Realizing how miserable they feel about this, he decides to recreate his childhood vacation to California-based theme park Walley World, leading his family on a road trip full of misadventures. This typical road trip movie now features a raw sewage hot spring bath scene, a running gag involving an Albanian car, and enough foul-mouthed raunchiness to earn this campy comedy its R rating.
For all of the shortcomings “Vacation” exhibits, the actors definitely do their best. Helms brings a sweetness to Griswold’s ineffectual naiveté, showing us a father eager to bond with his family and earning our empathy as viewers. Applegate’s Debbie is mostly overlooked, but reaches a comedic peak when dared to reenact a college stunt, provoking a gag that is equal parts disgusting and hilarious. The older boy also has good moments. The real show stopper is none other than Stebbins. Kevin proves affable despite the problematic relationship with his older brother, who bullies him relentlessly throughout the film.
Despite decent performances and even better jokes, the film never really manages to take off. The absurdity of the situations and aforementioned failure to let the jokes take off hinders the film from any notable laughs. It felt like the script was aiming for a dark, uncomfortable stoner comedy; I would have watched Ted 2 for that. The film is also plagued by déjà vu, taking every opportunity to harken back to the original instead of treading any new ground. Laughing at the same joke twice flattens the effect, and this is probably the movie’s biggest problem.
Tributes to the original run rampant, with homage scenes and cameos from the original ensemble (Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo). The film also includes cameos from Charlie Day, Chris Hemsworth and Leslie Mann, to name a few.
In conclusion, the Griswold’s ludicrous trip to Walley World will keep you laughing, and the actor’s solid performances will ensure your attention is on the screen. Every once in a while, the déjà vu and pervasive joke-killing might be let-downs, but despite the need for better execution casting a large shadow over “Vacation,” there are worse movies to spend your money on.
