This “Odious” Sequel to a John Hughes Classic Is Bringing “Middling Vulgarity” to the Netflix Streaming Chart

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Despite its flaws, the latest installment in the *National Lampoon* comedy series is surprisingly becoming a hit. The film, released in 2015, is the fifth in a franchise that started with the classic 1983 film and continued with the beloved *Christmas Vacation* in 1989. Though it came nearly 20 years after *Vegas Vacation* and largely retreads the plot of the original movie, it managed to achieve modest success at the box office, even if critics weren’t impressed.

But, Netflix is just like a defibrillator for forgotten flops and underappreciated bombs alike, and Vacation has jumped straight to the number two spot on the platform after being added to the streamer’s library of movies. For those who managed to completely forget this movie exists, the synopsis reads:

You know, I have such a soft spot for the original ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ – those road trip movies just hit different. So, when I heard about the sequel, I was curious. Basically, it’s about Rusty Griswold, all grown up, trying to recreate the magic of *his* childhood trip to Walley World for his own kids. He surprises his wife and sons with a massive cross-country adventure, hoping for some good old-fashioned family bonding. But, predictably, things don’t exactly go as planned! It quickly turns into a hilarious disaster – not just for the Griswolds, but for pretty much anyone they cross paths with. It’s a bumpy ride, let me tell you!

If this story seems like something you’ve seen before, that’s because the attempt to recreate the classic Griswold family road trip with both the original and new generations just didn’t quite hit the mark when it came to humor.

Is ‘Vacation’ a Bad Movie?


Warner Bros.

Like any movie, *Vacation* has its supporters. However, most people agree it relies too heavily on familiar concepts, trying to pass them off as a nostalgic experience. Despite receiving largely negative reviews, the film was financially successful, earning $107 million at the box office from a $31 million budget.

Critics weren’t impressed with the film, giving it a 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While audiences were somewhat forgiving, likely due to nostalgia for the original movies, the film only received a 44% audience score overall. Many viewers felt it lost the heart and meaningful themes of the earlier John Hughes films, replacing them with unnecessary and crude humor, resulting in a generally unpleasant viewing experience.

Compared to *Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure*, the original *Vacation* might seem like a great film, but it’s not actually very good overall. Still, it has enough funny moments to keep it from being the worst movie in the series. If you’re curious, it’s currently streaming on Netflix, and many people are giving it a watch.

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2025-10-15 14:02