This is NOWHERE near the quality of the first one. I have been to London, Germany, Italy, and France in one tour just like the Griswalds myself, so I thought this would be funny since I could relate. Here's just some of the problems with this movie:
1. The Audrey from the first "Vacation" was a cute little girl whose character was subtle. The Audrey on "European" has lost all of the cuteness, is pudgy, is annoying, unfunny, and brings an unpleasant akwardness to the already bad film by whining about her boyfriend and talking about being a virgin. Her character alone was enough to ruin the film.
2. The mom. Yes, it's played by the same woman, but the down-to-earth mother from the first has changed into a mousy, superfical cartoonish mom that fails to deliver the laughs.
3. The brand of comedy was different, inexcusable in a comedy sequel.
4. The whole thing is just dim-witted. The first one showed a sense of genius by putting "Aunt Edna" in the picture.
5. The misfortunes in the first one were still kept light. The "European" movie is really dark in the ending.
6. All in all, this movie was trying to copycat a different type of comedy and bombed. I'm sorry I ever saw this movie.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: The Griswald's comedy was revived in "Christmas Vacation". Yes!
1. The Audrey from the first "Vacation" was a cute little girl whose character was subtle. The Audrey on "European" has lost all of the cuteness, is pudgy, is annoying, unfunny, and brings an unpleasant akwardness to the already bad film by whining about her boyfriend and talking about being a virgin. Her character alone was enough to ruin the film.
2. The mom. Yes, it's played by the same woman, but the down-to-earth mother from the first has changed into a mousy, superfical cartoonish mom that fails to deliver the laughs.
3. The brand of comedy was different, inexcusable in a comedy sequel.
4. The whole thing is just dim-witted. The first one showed a sense of genius by putting "Aunt Edna" in the picture.
5. The misfortunes in the first one were still kept light. The "European" movie is really dark in the ending.
6. All in all, this movie was trying to copycat a different type of comedy and bombed. I'm sorry I ever saw this movie.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: The Griswald's comedy was revived in "Christmas Vacation". Yes!