Hotel Hell Vacation

Hotel Hell Vacation is a short film reviving the classic Vacation franchise from the eighties and nineties. It brings back Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo in their older years playing who they play best; Clark and Ellen. After four (five counting the spin off Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure) feature films, the series gets a nice short film that premiered during Super Bowl XLIV to promote HomeAway Inc.

Clark and Ellen, now grandparents, are on their way to their son Rusty's (Greer) house to visit their grand kids. Along the way the couple take a detour to Le Grand Connard, a very uptight and sophisticated hotel. Clark and Ellen experience nothing but problems in this hotel; the room is too small, the rooms aren't very comfortable, the receptionist is pushy, and there is little to no way to get food. The couple are to deal with the unfair and lousy service.

Hotel Hell Vacation is a lot more than I expected for a promotional commercial. It's a fun and clever film that revives not only the Vacation franchise, but what I love about it. The humor and the characters. Clark is back with his clever persona and do right attitude along with Ellen and her "stay calm, Sparky" attitude. It's nothing but smiles while watching this short film. If only it could've been a full length movie, then I would've been fully satisfied. I imagine Chase and D'Angelo were tired of the franchise, and just wanted to do this one little thing to wrap up the whole franchise. It's a nice way to close in on a near perfect series.

Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, and Travis Greer. Directed by: Bryan Buckley.

Basically, this is a commercial of Homeaway.com and what follows is what is trying to be funny. But like all other movies with Chevy Chase, it falls short. Maybe he tries too hard...nope - he definitely tries too hard.

If he wasn't so smug and if the film wasn't trying so hard to live off the old movies, it would be better.

Beverly D'Angelo makes great character, because she is not so forceful in trying to make funny...her off looks, wry smile and silence just make her good.

If you like the other Vacation movies, you will probably view this, but no doubt - you too will be disappointed.

Watch it for Beverly, if for no other reason.

**A note to film makers... Try NOT to burn your characters out with overdone and rehashed stories that just get lame due to repeated misuse.

If you are a fan of the original movies (and even the sort of sequel/spin off/whatever you want to call it), then there is high probability that you will like this too. The comedy, the jokes, the setting - all reminiscent of what made the movies great (or at least good). Of course if you disagree with that statement (which is more than fine if you feel different), then you probably should avoid this.

Talking about avoiding, the Griswolds probably should have been avoiding the hotel they chose to stay in. On the other hand, we would not have gotten all the jokes and crazy situation they find themselves roped into. Now obviously this is exaggerated to the extreme, but anyone who's been to any hotel for that matter might have experienced one of those things (again on a much smaller scale in all likelyhood, but still) ... maybe nothing like that happened to you, but the setting is still more than relatable. Something theme wise that all the vacation movies (even this short, comprised and to the point) have in common.

This is a 15 minute short and it's great!! Just a nice little skit about going to a bad hotel. It was actually an advert filmed for HomeAway Inc and broadcast during the 2010 Superbowl. Watch it if you can find it.

Everything with this short film is terrible. Sound, cinematography, script, directing, everything. I'm not a filmmaker, but if i was given the opportunity to work with Chase and D'angelo, and revive the characters from the Vacation movies, i would easily come up with a script that would be ten times funnier than this cringeworthy mess. It feels like some filmmakers/writers don't take any pride in their work. Is it money? Is the bar this low nowadays? Who actually OK'd this absolute unfunny mess and considered it being funny enough to air? All of you - quit. You all suck at what you're doing.