Rating of
2/4
Not Your Dad's 'Vacation'
Unknown - wrote on 07/30/15
The new 'Vacation' (rebooted sequel?) doesn't feel like the previous 'Vacation' films. It's not consistent in tone with the series. This is a straight up R-rated ridiculous gross-out comedy. It resembles something like 'We're the Millers'. A typical family road trip premise becomes an excuse to string together a series of vignettes, which include: bodily fluids and excrement, heavy sexual dialogue, cursing children, harsh violence, and some off-putting remarks towards pedophilia and rape. And yet, I still managed to get some shock value type laughs out of that concoction. That's the main positive saving this all-too-wornout formula from being any less than average. It's not mean, or cynical. The family, despite having little character, work well as a unit. I found myself chuckling more at the reactions and deliveries than the easily foreseen outcomes of most situations. I like these people, and I like seeing bad things happen to them. A couple of running gags actually became funnier over time. They sure got some mileage out of that 'foreign' car. The final act has some of the best material. I was starting to have fun at that point. Shame it couldn't have started that way. The beginning had me very worried, but the movie did slowly progress into something mildly enjoyable. Anyone who likes this style of low-brow humor will have a decent time renting 'Vacation'.
