There's some funny stuff here while traveling to Europe with the Griswalds. Full of misadventures, slapstick humor, action, and a little raunchy fun. It's wild comedy from the family's European tour from start to finish. A fast-paced plot with some wild acting. Grade B

Arg. This is the only one of the bunch I had only seen once before, just a couple of years after its 1985 release and even though I was a kid then, meaning I pretty much loved every movie, I hated this one. It must've been really bad for me to dislike it back then…and I can see why now. This was just terrible. It actually took me two attempts to get through this time and I think I snickered once or twice, but never laughed. I don't know they managed to take what worked in the first one and then sh|t all over those ideas. Not to mention, the use of the great "Holiday Road" song was so wrong. It didn't fit and was only thrown in to remind people of a better movie before it. Skip it!

By now I've watched all 4 vacation movies. Depending on your sense of humor, you might find some funny moments in European Vacation, or not find anything funny at all. The movie begins with the Griswalds winning a vacation to Europe in a game show. Although Clark and Ellen are looking forward to the vacation, the kids don't want to go, but end up going anyway. The vacation has a problematic beginning (staying in a hotel that's not as good as advertised), and for the Griswalds, it only gets worse. Unlike in Vacation, there is no specific destination the family is trying to reach, though there are references to some past events once they reach their final destination (Rome). Some of the things they discover in Rome are the following:(1) Before leaving home Clark made a video of Ellen, which she wanted him to erase. It becomes clear that the recording was not erased. (2) Throughout the movie Audrey has complained about leaving Jack. She sees him, or someone very similar to him, with another girl from a distance. (3) The bike rider Clark ran over in London shows up. It turns out that the accident caused more than a "flesh wound."My least favorite thing about the movie is Audrey complaining about being away from Jack (who didn't care much about her), especially because it happens at every destination. Some people might object to the nude scenes (there are more than in the other vacation movies).

I quite understand the negative reviews toward this movie . I don't treat the first movie as some incredible masterpiece , but it was fun. This one is however a disappointment.The movie follows formula of the first one , yet they are some changes. There is no cousin Eddie this time and the Griswalds travel all over Europe instead of America. The cast is also obviously different – Rusty and Audrey Griswald have been re-casted . Instead of Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron we have Jason lively and Dana Hill .Many have complained about that . I have to admit that I don't like this sort of change too . Still , I think they were worthy replacements and personally I like Dana's Hill Audrey more than Barron's.There is also change of director . Harold Ramis ("Ghostbusters" ) has been replaced by Amy Heckerling ("Fast times at Ridgemont High"). She directs it with obvious 80's style (Griswalds at Italian shop , Griswalds at museum) and for me that's a good thing . John Hughes who has written original also is the author of screenplay here . "European vacation" doesn't only wants to be entertainment , but also is a satire on Americans . The movie makes fun of our heroes several times – kids complain about the lack of MTV , Griswalds don't know any language , sex is the best entertainment for them , they can't simply enjoy their time. I don't think that movie is cruel towards are heroes . They still the same sympathetic people only with unusual ability to fall into trouble.The famous song by Lindsey Buckingham "Holiday road" is back . There are also other great songs here : Power Station "Some like it hot" , Dr.John "New looks" and Network "Back in America".William Zabka (the bully from "Karate kid") makes a brief appearance as Jack – Audrey's boyfriend . Watch out also for Eric Idle (member of Monty Python) as unlucky British guy who gets accidentally hurt by Clark every time they met."European vacation" is a forced sequel . Most jokes is lame , I sadly admit (for example : the dream sequences at the airplane and the ending at the airplane) , but there are some funny jokes (for example : the vulgar waiter in France ,Clark can't turn left in England ) . It's still better than the next movie in franchise - "Vegas vacation" . Now THAT was a complete disaster. I give this one a 3/10.