The Griswolds have returned and are bringing the Vacation madness back to theaters that they trademarked in the 1980’s. National Lampoon’s Vacation wasn’t just a comedy hit, it was a cultural touchstone. For decades, it was impossible to think of a family cross-country roadtrip, without associating it with the Griswold’s fateful journey to Walley World. Well get ready, because the Griswolds are planning a Vacation for a new generation.
In the past few years, we have had a few successful sequels, led by 22 Jump Street, that have rewritten the rulebook for how to make a follow up to a comedy. Part of the approach is to acknowledge when things are being rehashed from the previous incarnation and to not talk down to the audience. It seems that the approach has been fully embraced in Vacation and it looks as if it will pay off.
Ed Helms plays a grown up Rusty Griswold, originally played by Anthony Michael Hall, who has decided on taking his family on a roadtrip to Walley World, much like his father did for him thirty years prior. It seems that have found the perfect approach to stir up feelings of nostalgia for the original franchise, while still bringing in new fans of mature R-rated comedy. Clearly Warner Bros. has supreme confidence in the sequel, since they gave it a prime summertime slot. The footage that was screened at Cinema Con last month has created a huge buzz. It also doesn’t hurt that the film is bolstered by a strong comedic cast that includes Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, a returning Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase, and Thor’s Chris Hemsworth that seems to have a scene-stealing role. Enjoy the trailer.
Official Synopsis:
Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Helms) surprises his wife, Debbie (Applegate), and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America’s “favorite family fun park,” Walley World.
Vacation opens July 29th, 2015.
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Source: New Line