Vacation

In this reboot of the beloved National Lampoon comedies, the Griswolds' son Rusty (Ed Helms) takes his own family on a disaster-packed road trip to Walley World, in an attempt to recapture the happiness of his youth. The film desperately tries to re-create the charm and feel-good factor of the original films, but too often gets sidelined by jokes that are either too obvious or downright crude. There is an attempt towards the end to force a message about relationships and family unity, but when one of the film's signature gags is tied to Chris Hemsworth's "nether regions", that message seems insincere. Helms is likeable in the lead, but not quite the tireless optimist that you need to make all the various mishaps funny. A brief appearance from franchise mainstay Chevy Chase only reinforces the feeling that this revamp is well below the standard of its predecessors. A drab, juvenile misfire.