Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome to my Movie Review in Christmas Edition!
Merry Christmas everyone, its another year of celebrating the biggest holiday before we’re capping off the year 2025 (despite that 2025 was good from the start, but a nightmare ending, but its a long story). So, while im thinking what kind of Christmas movie that im looking for, I felt like it would be a great to going back to one of my favorite movie, not just for me, but also my parents’ all-time favorite before I was born.
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a 1989 Christmas Slapstick Comedy film that was directed by Jeremiah Chechik, written/produced by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson.
If you’ve ever reading my Movie Reviews like “National Lampoon’s Vacation”, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “Home Alone” and today’s review, you can probably noticed the pattern that;
1: They’re all been involved with one of my favorite filmmaker John Hughes, because I like some of his movies, not just for the sake of comedy, but for the sake of how we can relate and also some good heart.
And 2: The ideas are based on either Hughes’s experience or even based on National Lampoon’s, which are pretty nice that, again, we can make stories that we can relate how we’ve been.
In case for the latter, much like the first Vacation, the idea of this movie is based on Hughes’s story in National Lampoon’s Magazine called “Christmas 59” that was published in December of 1980, unlike Vacation 58, this one is focusing on Christmas celebration in the family house with grandparents coming in from the kid’s point of view in narration. This story became an opportunity from John Hughes, mainly due to Warner Bros had been begging to make a new Vacation movies, which he accepted that he wanted to be completely different after two movies about Griswold’s family in cars. Originally, the film was going to be directed by Chris Columbus (Yes, the one who did home Alone that I’ve covered two years ago), which it may sounds like a dream team with Columbus, Hughes and Chevy Chase, right? Well, it didn’t go that well that they’ve hoped for, as Columbus left the production due to having a clash with Chase, since, as I’ve said in NL’s Vacation, Chevy chase is a nightmare to work with from backstage argument and bad behavior. This resulting Jeremiah Chechik as not just replacement, but also his directorial debut. But on the bright side, in sympathy from leaving the production, John Hughes came back to Chris Columbus for second attempt by giving him a script to working on Home Alone, and the rest is history.
When Griswolds welcoming us to Christmas Vacation, the result was… Pretty much not great as road trip to Wally World. The reviews were pretty mixed the late Roger Ebert gave it 2 out of 4 stars with quote “The movie is curious in how close it comes to delivering on its material: Sequence after sequence seems to contain all the necessary material, to be well on the way toward a payoff, and then it somehow doesn't work”. But that doesn’t mean its mediocre, some people called it an improvement over the European Vacation, like Rita from The Washington Post called it “it will prove pater-familiar to fans of the 1983 original and the European Vacation sequel. Only it's a bit more whimsical.”. As time went on, Christmas Vacation is considered a fan favorite and called it a Christmas classic movie that we all know and loved.
As for my experience, my parents, while they loved the first Vacation, but its no secret that my parents LOVE Christmas Vacation, like probably their Top 10 favorites before I was born, they love about the characters, the jokes and maybe the story that they can relate. Meanwhile, while my parents loved it, I was questioned about this movie in my curiosity. But eventually, as I grew to young adult, I did gave myself a shot to watching it and… Yeah, my parents are right, its easily a great Christmas film, and probably one of my films that I rewatching it like hundreds of times.
So that makes you raise the question, what makes National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is my family’s favorite film from our lives, let along as everyone’s favorite film to this day?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
Unlike the previous movies where its about a trip outside of Chicago, this one is a celebration in home for Christmas, which its a pretty nice change, but also enjoyable.
After the animated opening sequence of the movie (Grease style), the movie begins on the road where the Griswolds are in journey to finding a Christmas tree (which is understandable when many Christmas tree markets cost a lot of money), despite Clark Griswold gets bothered by a pickup driver and having a near death moment by driving under the truck (Jeez, this is long before we have The Fast and The Furious). Once Clark found a tree (and dug it out, cause he completely forgot to bring a saw. Ouch… Along with being questioned by the neighbor Todd and Margo), this will be a great opportunity that his parents (and Helen’s parents) arrived to be welcoming, at least what Helen is hesitant from them bickering, while Clark stays positive for preparation, not only he was hoping to take a the bonus for swimming pool (in his business of food preservative company), but also setting up a LOOOONG Christmas lights around his house (much to hilariously without realizing the only way to powering on, is a light switch inside in the house for Christmas lights). Its up to Clark keeps in positive to live in Christmas celebration with parents (as well as surprise visit from his cousin-in-law Johnson family like Eddie, Catherine and the new kids unlike the first Vacation) and his anticipation for Christmas for bonus, despite some chaotic obstacles he has to dealing with.
Its a pretty standard story as what you expect, a Christmas plan to bringing relatives to the house for Christmas cheers and anticipating for big rewards, its self-explanatory, but its enjoyable for various reasons. Its pretty nice that we can all relate how like to bringing friends or family come for one to three days to stay home for Christmas party to prevent chaos, its not easy to be perfect, but hey, its understandable. Not only it has a nice and relatable, but the movie also shows a heart warming moments like when after Clark daydreaming for swimming pool, he has a conversation to Johnson’s daughter Ruby-Sue, which she’s nervous and questions how believing Santa is fiction, but Clark comforts her that if she stays as good girl with her brother Rocky, Santa will give a wonderful gift (though its more like Clark or Helen will give them a nice gift), an anticipation bonus for swimming pool what Clark is hoping for covering the costs for next summer. And of course, a scene where, aside Clark is stuck in a cold attic, but watching a home video projector to reflect his good’ol days with his grandparents (I will say, its pretty fun and nearly teary moment that, much like Clark, we can reflect the good’ol days with our alive or late grandparents). Of course, it wasn’t just we can relate at some ways and a good heart, and this is National Lampoon, its no stranger to give us some humors and I will say, the jokes are enjoyable in many ways, ranging from Clark completely forgot to bring a saw to cut down the tree for Griswolds, the incredibly speed slide (based on Clark’s putting non-caloric silicon-based kitchen lubricant spray, making it dangerously faster to slide than any cooking oils), making annoyance to Todd and Margo (obviously for running gag), Eddie dumping out with “Shitter was full!” (which it turned out he dumped into storm sewer, in other, its a sewage treatment plant), Clark’s dreaming of his swimming pool, much to getting distracted by a sale clerk lady in one-piece bikini, and my personal favorites are Clark’s desperate presentation his 25K lights around his whole house exterior (Damn, who would’ve thought that Christmas light decorations are such a big deal what Clark did, eh?) and the build up of Clark that he’ll losing it if something gone very bad. And that’s the examples of jokes of this movie, they always gave me a smile and chuckle, even for looking back from slapstick and funny dialogues.
While the story is simplistic for Christmas movie, but its the execution for how we can relate with, a heart warming moments and even for good amount of laughs from the build ups, cause come on, what do you expect that its a movie from National Lampoon.
The Presentation
The movie’s budget is surprisingly nearly doubled than the first movie that it costed $25M. Despite being a big budget (compared to the first Vacation and European Vacation), it looks pretty good.
For starter, the filming locations are fairly decent, even though this movie takes place in Chicago, but it was actually filmed in Burbank, California, mainly for the Griswolds’ house, while the other outdoor scenes were filmed in Breckenridge, Colorado. In weird fact for the latter, at first and before they filmed, it was snowless, so they called to bring out a convoy of trucks with snow. But once it was delivered, Breckenridge had a 10 ft massive snowfall for three days, resulting the crews had no choice but brought out snowcats to plowing the snow before filming. That’s a YIKES right there that they could’ve just wait after the massive snowfall instead of ordering trucks with snows, but that’s just me.
While there’s no effects in this movie, well okay there’s the angelic light when Clark found the Griswolds’ Family Christmas Tree and when Clark blasts himself up from sliding and couple others, but the set with the placement of Christmas decorations inside Griswolds’ house look pretty nice, decorative, colorful and bright, which something we like to see in nicest and kind of less clutter, despite the Christmas tree that Clark found is too tall that the top got squeezed from the ceiling. But the interior is tame compared to the outdoor, because ohhh boy…! The exterior decoration, while it has Santa Claus with flock of Reindeer (unless you counted when chevy Chase punched Santa, he broke his pinky while filming. Ouch…!), but the house is covered by looooong cord of 25 thousand twinkle lights, which is a one heck of a decoration that it looks like the house is wrapped up by long Christmas lights of 3 Watts that cause too much power to bear, but its just the movie. In fact, the term “Griswold House” became a part of slang for both, USA, Australia and even my homeland Canada, which it defines the house with Christmas decoration in the most over-the-top way, which im sure if you see someone put more than dozens of decoration, people would go “Damn, they went full on Griswold House!”.
I should also point out that, remember I mentioned the car stunt in National Lampoon’s Vacation? Well, in another surprise, Stunt Coordinator Dick Ziker and his team are back, this time for the first act in where Clark drives his Ford Taurus Wagon, he got harassed by rednecks in their Dodge pickup, and dangerously drive underneath the truck with tree logs. Again, pretty risky that it looks like something out The Fast and The Furious. Shout out to Ziker, I guess…
One last thing to bring up its the opening scene, which is a pretty rare moment to having the movie’s intro with the use animation involving Santa tries to put gifts underneath the loosely home of Griswolds. The animation of this opening sequence were done by Kroyer Films, one of earliest animation studio done in mix of hand-drawn and CG. And its the same company who’re later gave us FernGully: The Last Rainforest.
The movie’s presentation is standard as the story, but it still looks pretty good for the decoration, some fun sequences and a nice filming and the setting.
The Characters
With the return of the Griswolds, you think they’ll have a new development and welcome return performance? Well, they’re definitely deserve a return, even some new ones are good, despite some replacements.
Lets starts off with our old friend and my favorite, Clark W. Griswold (reprised by Chevy Chase), the father and the patriarch of the Griswolds where he likes to bringing family for a fun loving vacation much like when they had a road trip to Wally World. This time, he wants having a family Christmas vacation in the house with his parents, his grandparents and Helen’s parents, without knowing the issues with chaos from old parents bickering each others, some obstacles to dealing with, and if its not going on the way, we can feel the build up of his anger in unpredictable fit of frustration or throwing insults. Like before, Clark likes to be a lovable father for fun vacation, especially he maintains his positive mood while dealing with numerous problems, along with his crazy ideas he pulled, including the aforementioned speed slide from his non-caloric silicon-based kitchen lubricant spray from his involvement with food preservative company for 17 years. While his development remains the same, but he’s enjoyable and funny, especially with Chevy did a fun work of his role, aside being an acting nightmare to work with.
Next we have Ellen Griswold (reprised by Beverly D’Angelo), the mother of the family, while she’s looks pretty and sweet, but she’s also the brain of “be careful what you’re planning for”. Pretty much the same as before, being sweet and caring, but authoritative when it comes to downside elements in Christmas vacation, however, she didn’t get tempered in warning compared to the first vacation, which im guessing she’s pretty much toned down without having herself outburst in front of her parents. Kind of downgrade, but at least she’s nice and relatable, and Beverly did a good job too.
Then we have the kids, Russell or “Rusty” (played by Johnny Galecki instead of Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (played by Juliette Lewis instead of Dana Barron), this sibling are there to have fun for Christmas vacation, whereas Rusty being Clark’s young partner for helping hands, for the most part, while Audrey is the older and no mood of being bothered by her young brother. What I find it pretty odd about these kids is their age are pretty different. In the first Vacation, Rusty looks more like an older brother (probably based on Anthony’s puberty during reshoot at the climax) while his sister is younger. But here, their age was switched for some weird reason for casting choice, im guessing they want them to be young, but I hate to say, they’ve grown up for some moments, but then again, its mainly the recast after two movies. Though the downside is that Rusty and Audrey are rather minimal for their appearance, despite that il give credit they did a nice performance too.
Next, there’s Eddie Johnson (reprised by Randy Quaid), he’s Clark’s cousin-in-law with his own family with Catherine (reprised by Miriam Flynn) and, similar to Rusty and Audrey recasting, their kids are new with Rocky (played by Cody Burger) who’s a silent boy with fungus lips infection (yeesh…), Ruby-Sue (played by Ellen Hamilton Latzen) who’s her eyes fixed after being cross-eyed incident, but she’s a cute and sweet, despite some foul-mouth moment, and the new dog Snots the Rottweiller (You know when they used to have dog named Dinky before it died back in first Vacation?). I gotta say, its pretty nice to bring them as supporting roles after shown in short moment in the first vacation, I think its because they’re too good to be weirdly likable with their jokes and gross moments to leaving us a little imagination. Especially with Eddie, he’s actually enjoyably funny from his dialogue and being best cousin-in-law to Clark. This is especially nice to give them a development whatever happened to them after we met them in brief moment, they went from relaxing home in the middle of nowhere in Coolidge, Kansas with their own farm, to now living in their RV (ouch, talk about getting backstabbed for the lack money to keep their home in Kansas). But in fairness, at least its nice to see them back for more and they did a good work for their performance, especially with Randy for being funny for his delivery, while Ellen’s Ruby-Sue is such a cute girl for heart warming moment.
Then there’s the Griswolds old parents, there’s Clark’s parents like Clark Sr. (played by the late John Randolph) and Nora (played by the late Diana Ladd), Ellen’s parents (their last names are Smith, I guess she used to be named Ellen Smith) like Arthur (played by the late E.G. Marshall, aka the fictional USA President in Superman II) and Frances (played by the late Doris Roberts) and finally, Clark’s grandparents, Aunt Bethany (played by the late Mae Questel, aka freakin’ Betty Boop! But this movie was her final role) and Uncle Lewis (played by the late William Hickey). These guys have their own different personalities, though most of them have a lackluster like Ellen’s Parents (Well, okay, they have their own development as pretty much careless on Clark’s family) or even maybe even Nora. Its more on towards either Clark Sr. to have a heart to heart with Clark for motivation and sharing same bad experience (which I find Clark Sr. very sweet and caring father), while Clark’s grandparents are surprisingly likable for their humorous ways, whether be Bethany has her expired mind with asking silly questions (probably going senile), along with her support of American Patriotism, while Lewis is a grouchy old man who didn’t seem to care, along with either wearing a bad a rug hair and smoking cigar in a bad places at bad time. Despite one half are lackluster, but the others are enjoyable to watch and for their delivery.
As for the rest, they’re more on antagonists role, while one of them are no stranger and the others are 50/50. There’s Frank Shirley (played by Brian Doyle-Murray, the brother of Bill Murray. Who’s also been in first Vacation, but as Kamp Komfort Clerk) who’s a mean boss of food preservative company to take the business seriously or worse, bad treatment of payment (more on that later). And the Griswolds’ neighbor, the Chesters couple, Todd (played by Nicholas Guest) and Margo (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). These two are mixed for their reaction toward the Griswolds (obviously for running gag), whereas Todd is sorta honest, but like to be harmless, especially he likes to be lovely for Margo, speaking of the latter, Margo is more hostile that she can’t take the mess from the Griswolds that she wants them in suffer like a full on Karen.
While the remaining characters aren’t much else to say, but the characters like the main Griswolds and even the Johnsons are a welcome return for fun, along with giving their fun delivery from jokes, slapsticks and even good heart, while some are lacking either humor nor even heart.
SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t seen this movie, if you don’t mind
While we have a nice, fun and heart warming moments, but once its Christmas Eve… Ohhh boy, it went from promising to utter chaos…!
Once its December 24th of Christmas Eve, Clark brought Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis to his home to be welcome to the celebration, for the last time for them, despite brought the gifts that contains a white cat and a messy lime flavored jello. At dinner, Clark starts out to gathering everyone for say grace, but in reality, Bethany makes her speech of American Patriotism. As for their feast, at first, the turkey looks good from the outside, but when Clark is about to cut open, its actually overcooked, very badly… Anyway, after a very bad supper (at least eating cake is a saving grace) but its gotten worse when a cat is messing Christmas tree lights that it pulled the plugs out, which upon re-plugging them, the poor white cat got fried to death (Yeah, that cat had nine lives indeed, Eddie.), but shortly after going back home, Uncle Lewis lit his lighter for smoking cigar, without knowing that he destroyed the Griswolds’ Family Christmas Tree, making Clark is on the verge of reaching his boiling point.
But then, after knock at the door, Clark finally received an envelope, sharing his plan to putting his bonus check for swimming pool, much to excitement for the Griswolds (even though Eddie isn’t a good swimmer). But upon open it, it turned into an all-time low that instead of having a Big Bonus… He received the One Year Membership in the Jelly of the Month Club. And Clark is snapped…!
“Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people, and I want him brought right here! With a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye, and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol?”
After the longest and the most creative insult ever, Clark takes his anger to pull out a chainsaw, which he found a new tree at the right place at the right time (since you know, when its Christmas day, many stores are closed), but the tree is located on Chesters’ yard. After fixing a newel post in last second fixing ditch effort, it looks like they’re back to normal and Clark is calm. Or at least we thought we’re back in peace with Aunt Bethany hears a “funny squeaky sound”, which Clark does hear it, but then… BAM!! A squirrel jumps out of tree to make everyone (minus Bethany and Uncle Lewis) in full on panic for little critter going on a loose in the house! (I will admit, that one scared the heck out of me when the squirrel jumped out) As Clark and Clark Sr. try to finding this “menacing” critter, the squirrel clings on Clark’s back in even more panic, this time, Eddie’s trusty dog Snots goes after the squirrel, but that causing a mess around in the house. After running around with big mess, Clark sees a squirrel in shock to open the entrance door, right until the squirrel jumps into Margo (when she decides to going after the Griswolds by herself for planning argument like a Karen) and she gets mauled by Snots! Which thankfully the chaos is solved and Margo takes a Sucker Punch at Todd (Jesus, what’d he do to you, Margo?!). But the damage is already done that Ellen’s parents are having enough they’re about to leave, that makes Clark even more snapped out of his mind to keep the celebration going!
Clark: Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.
Ellen: Clark, I think it'd be best if everyone went home... before things get worse.
Clark: WORSE? How could things get any worse? Take a look around here, Ellen. We're at the threshold of hell.
After all, it became a second strike (or third if you counted his freakout over Christmas light), Clark is clearly going down very badly that he just wants a perfect Christmas Eve celebration with big family. Thankfully, Clark Sr. came in to comfort him to admitting its not great to have a perfect Christmas celebration when its not going on the way, especially its no reason to be exploded in front of the family. Of course, even Clark accepts its not easy to be perfectly fun, along with Clark Sr. did shared he had a same problem back then (mainly for taking a lot of Jack Daniels), which is actually both relatable and nice heart warming moment to bury the hatchet after the chaos. Once Clark apologized and reading story of The Night Before Christmas, he got himself an unusual arrive, its Eddie with Frank Shirley being kidnapped when he took Clark’s rant literally for last minute’s gift. But that pissed off Frank for the setup that he Fired Clark for the kidnap. But Clark tries to bury the hatchet to express his frustration that he shouldn’t taking insult on Frank’s face, all because he was very angry that his bonus was cut off and being enrolled with Jelly Club, he takes his complaint for what happened to not just himself, but other employees without bonuses in Christmas Eve, ever since he and others are always getting paid from salaries. Thankfully, Frank changes his heart (or should I say, “his heart to grow three sizes”, Grinch style), admitting his responsibility for his action if he could lose his business with giving them bonuses, so he reinstated the bonus with adding 20%, much to an absolute surprise of joy to the Griswolds. But the celebration won’t last long as Frank’s wife Helen (played by Natalia Nogulich) had called the police to releasing SWAT team storming into the Griswolds’ house to arresting Clark (and maybe Eddie), but upon Helen’s arrival to save her husband, Frank refuses to press charges and expresses his wrongful action about canceling bonus, much to dismay on both Helen and the SWAT leader. But then, out of surprise, Ruby-Sue and Rocky look at the sky, believing its Santa Claus, but Clark said that its a Christmas Star, saying that its not all about the family gathering, bonus nor anything, it means a lot for him from Christmas magic. But in reality, Uncle Lewis said its the light from the sewage treatment, much to alert for Clark that when Lewis light up his cigar, he threw the lighter from behind, causing an explosion out of nowhere from sewer gas, and even launching Santa’s sleigh decoration to the sky to imitating Santa Claus coming! Holy hot damn, the light just bite right in the ass, eh? And the chaos cap off when Bethany gathers everyone to singing USA’s national anthem.
And in the end, with pressing charges dismissed and reconciliation, the family, the SWAT team and Shirleys celebrating along in the house, while Clark gives Ellen a lovely kiss and feeling satisfied to having a wonderful time of Christmas vacation.
Wowee, what a heck of a ride and it was both fun and heart warming with all the chaos and even admitting responsibility of wrong doing we’ve been through, but still, it is enjoyable for the climax of Christmas Eve.
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is another great movie and another favorite of mine ever since my parents love this movie before I was born.
While it has some flaws like some lackluster development on some characters. But I have fun with this movie for all the good stuff from good writing, the presentation looks nice, great acting, fun jokes and memorable characters. While some people said that this movie is an improvement over the previous films, but I say, I love this movie along with the first Vacation and its a lot better than European Vacation (And yes, I saw it and… Its not as great as the first Vacation and Christmas Vacation).
This is definitely a Must-Watch film for celebrating Christmas, especially if you’re a fan of 80’s movies, a Christmas movies even John Hughes’s movies. I’d say bring your friends and/or family gather along to watching this movie, not just for fun, but also for wonderful time of Christmas. But if you’re curious to see this movie, I’d say check it out, im sure you’ll have a great time after watching this. I love this movie when I was in 20s and I still love it to rewatching it, either in Christmas or before/after Christmas.
For my rating, im gonna give this one a Perfect 10/10, along with earning the The Trophy of Success for Christmas cheer.
So this ends of my movie review. But, depending if I have times, il watching some remaining films in 2025 before il do the list of best and worst films of the year, especially some that I bought on either digital stores or even currently available on streaming platform, along with one film that I gotta watch that lot of people love to talk about it. Il try my best for my scheduling without getting overwhelmed, either on regular review style or mini-review.
But as always if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony like to say, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And signing off.
