Wally World, Europe, Christmas, now Vegas. Clark Griswold traded in his two kids for younger versions in "Christmas Vacation." He did it again for his family Vegas vacation. He also traded in the family station wagon and upgraded to a Ford Expedition. Clark Griswold in a bigger, more powerful vehicle--that's a scary thought.
But Clark is more subdued now. He's older, puffier, not as funny, and at times his voice sounds like he's sick or old. His movie wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), on the other hand, maintained herself very well in the eight years from "Christmas Vacation" to "Vegas Vacation."
Clark cuts up in Vegas and the jokes are duds. The worst gag of the movie had to be their visit to Hoover Dam. Through bad visual effects we see Clark swinging on live electrical wires and hanging onto the face of Hoover Dam. It was an embarrassingly bad attempt at getting a laugh. It was just sad seeing Chevy Chase doing such putrid gag humor at this stage of his life and career.
Vegas was the most depressing vacation yet. Clark has a gambling problem, he loses his kids to the lure of Las Vegas, and almost loses his wife to Wayne Newton. It was a sorry state of affairs for Clark. But, like always he pulls through. They hit the Keno jackpot to get their money back and new-Rusty (Ethan Embry) won four cars for them to drive back to Chicago. I couldn't help but think as they drove eastward, "Please. No more vacations."
But Clark is more subdued now. He's older, puffier, not as funny, and at times his voice sounds like he's sick or old. His movie wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), on the other hand, maintained herself very well in the eight years from "Christmas Vacation" to "Vegas Vacation."
Clark cuts up in Vegas and the jokes are duds. The worst gag of the movie had to be their visit to Hoover Dam. Through bad visual effects we see Clark swinging on live electrical wires and hanging onto the face of Hoover Dam. It was an embarrassingly bad attempt at getting a laugh. It was just sad seeing Chevy Chase doing such putrid gag humor at this stage of his life and career.
Vegas was the most depressing vacation yet. Clark has a gambling problem, he loses his kids to the lure of Las Vegas, and almost loses his wife to Wayne Newton. It was a sorry state of affairs for Clark. But, like always he pulls through. They hit the Keno jackpot to get their money back and new-Rusty (Ethan Embry) won four cars for them to drive back to Chicago. I couldn't help but think as they drove eastward, "Please. No more vacations."