Vegas Vacation (1997)

Memorable, crazy movie

I'll tell you why so serious

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This 4th adventure is not one too much as there is some fun moments but there is indubitably no new ideas since the first movie and that's a pity: Clark is blind, the kids are daredevils, Ellen is strong and the cousins gentle jerks… Going on the road again offers more surprises than staying at home but going to Vegas is boring as this is not a sight-seeing location. However the feel of this sin city is perfectly done as i stayed also in one of this big hotel and that i saw again all things i did (games inside the hotel, buffet meals, labyrinth corridors). The only exterior visit to Hoover Dam is also really funny as well as well as the mile- high club try! This new pair of kids is cool and we have also a Chevy at top of his form! In itself, the movie could be expandable but when you look for genuine comedy, you come to the conclusion that this Griswold family has something the others have not!

Clark (Chevy Chase) got a bonus at work and he's taking the Griswold gang to Vegas. Clark and Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) plan to renew their vows. They got new kids (Ethan Embry, Marisol Nichols) and that's the first funny joke. And cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) shows up in this one too.Chevy Chase is his usual bumbling self, and that's what so familiar about this movie. Maybe that's why it seems so old and tired. After a good start, Chevy is playing around with old Vegas like Seigfried and Roy, and Wayne Newton. The movie taking place inside the casino feels ancient. Vegas tourism bureau should not be happy about this movie. Beverly D'Angelo singing is kinda funny, and it's nice to see Christie Brinkley with a funny cameo. Also we get to have some fun with cousin Eddie and his family. But it's not nearly enough. This franchise is past its expiration date.

This is the forth and last movie about Griswalds. Well , at least until the new remake of "Vacation" doesn't show up. It doesn't have the National Lampoons title , but it is the sequel to previous three movies. It was directed by Stephen Kessler. What is more important is that John Hughes (writer of all three movies) isn't the writer of this one. "Vegas vacation" was written by Elisa Bell and Bob Ducsay.It's hard to find a good third movie in the series , much less forth. It's also a risk to make a sequel to an 80's movie . Many of the sequels to 80's movies fails , because they aren't able to capture that specific 80's magic of the original ("Another 48 hours" , "Beverly Hills cop 3", "Blues brothers 2000" for example). Griswalds didn't really needed another sequel , since the third one was really good . So who needed it ? Chevy Chase . After the 1989 he wasn't able to make a successful movie and this was his last attempt to become a major star once more .In the end it's a movie that should have been made as straight to video flick . It is so bad , that it's worse than "European vacation" . At least I had few laughs with that bad movie , with this one I had none."Vegas" lacks freshness . The writers tried to keep "Vegas vacation" in style of previous movies , but failed terribly. None of the usual Griswald charm is here . The jokes fell incredibly forced and don't work. Only SOME of the jokes with cousin Eddie APPROACH being funny (which doesn't mean they are , mind you). The franchise had simple , but funny , slightly raunchy sense of humor . This one is boring and bland like most of US sitcoms. It feels more like a commercial for Las Vegas than a comedy.The old cast is back – Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo and Randy Quaid. The kids has been recast again . Ethan Embry plays Rusty and Marisol Nichols plays Audrey. I have to say they are my least favorite couple from the whole series. They give very flat performances.National Lampoon took their name off the title of this film. It's hard not to understand why. Surprisingly, "Vegas Vacation" was fairly successful at the box office, taking in almost $40 million (the budget mus have been low for this movie) Which meant there was yet another chapter in the saga, the even worse than this "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2- Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure". Oh , boy...My advice ? Stick to the first and third one , avoid the rest. I give it 1/10.

Well, Clark Griswold has so far botched a road trip, a European vacation and (most memorably) a Christmas vacation; so why does he continue to make his family go through hell on his endless quest for a fun vacation? That's easy; it's pretty enjoyable for us to watch :)"Vegas Vacation" sits comfortably as the third most enjoyable film in the series; surpassing "European Vacation" but not as enjoyable as "Vacation" or "Christmas Vacation". It's pretty far reaching at times but there are solid moments here; such as Clark damn near destroying a damn and getting crazy (as only Clark Griswold can) playing cards and losing everything.The Wayne Newton gag soon grows tiresome and everything concerning Audrey and Russ pretty much stinks but Randy Quaid delivers once again as obnoxious Cousin Eddie and Chase hasn't lost his touch as the world's most annoying (yet somehow oddly endearing) family dad.