Hottoceame The Age of Commercialism

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Geeky Randy The Griswolds (changed to "Griswalds" for this outing) are back and off to Europe after winning the free trip on a game-show. Predictable and inferior, likely the weakest of the series, but still offers some worthy laughs nonetheless. Both kids are replaced, but the recasting has since become a fun ongoing gimmick in the following films. Perhaps working Randy Quaid back into the plot somehow would've made this holiday more memorable? Despite its flaws, the concept of sightseeing with Sparky and his fam still "works" per se, so this installment is far from a complete waste. Followed by NATIONAL LAMPOON'S Christmas VACTION.★★ (out of four)

pottsb29 By now I've watched all 4 vacation movies. Depending on your sense of humor, you might find some funny moments in European Vacation, or not find anything funny at all. The movie begins with the Griswalds winning a vacation to Europe in a game show. Although Clark and Ellen are looking forward to the vacation, the kids don't want to go, but end up going anyway. The vacation has a problematic beginning (staying in a hotel that's not as good as advertised), and for the Griswalds, it only gets worse. Unlike in Vacation, there is no specific destination the family is trying to reach, though there are references to some past events once they reach their final destination (Rome). Some of the things they discover in Rome are the following:(1) Before leaving home Clark made a video of Ellen, which she wanted him to erase. It becomes clear that the recording was not erased. (2) Throughout the movie Audrey has complained about leaving Jack. She sees him, or someone very similar to him, with another girl from a distance. (3) The bike rider Clark ran over in London shows up. It turns out that the accident caused more than a "flesh wound."My least favorite thing about the movie is Audrey complaining about being away from Jack (who didn't care much about her), especially because it happens at every destination. Some people might object to the nude scenes (there are more than in the other vacation movies).

Der_Schnibbler Stick with the Christmas one and you'll be all right. This one was atrocious. Unimaginative, boring, repetitive, predictable. Chase is in good form as always, but there's little he can do with such a dumb script. Same for the wife. The son is just passable and the girl who plays the daughter... oh my dear lord.. I have never seen such an off- putting creature in my life. She looks like a pig, especially when seen from the side.The only thing I liked was the film's comparison of Americans with swine. (In the beginning of the film, the Griswold's are encouraged by a TV audience to "be a pig.") I suppose that's why they casted that disgusting thing as the daughter, who is supposed to be playing a teenager but looks like she's nearly forty. They also did a good job of showing the utter ignorance and degeneration of American parents, even back in '85: in a beginning scene, the piglet daughter's boyfriend is over and they're down each other's throats in front of the parents. What kind of a emasculated little moron of a "father" allows his teenage piglet this behaviour?An American one, I guess.

namashi_1 A Sequel to the very enjoyable Vacation, 'European Vacation' turns out to be a good sequel, offering slap-stick humor & non-sense all through. Don't look for logic in here!'European Vacation' Synopsis: The Griswalds win a vacation tour across Europe where the usual havoc ensues.'European Vacation' gets it right, as the humor works. Sure, it makes no sense, but again, slap-stick comedies are not meant to be taken seriously. Screenplay by John Hughes & Robert Klane is funny, offering aplenty of ridiculously moments in the goings-on. Amy Heckerling's Direction is ordinary. The Cinematography captures the exotic locales of Europe perfectly. Performance-Wise: Chevy Chase leads the film with a winning performance. He's in complete form. Beverly D'Angelo is spunky. Dana Hill & Jason Lively are okay. John Astin is passable. On the whole, 'European Vacation' does work.