User reviews

I will not give away most of the story. But maybe the fact that I was raised on the original vacation movies, I had a hard time accepting this as a remake. I do think Cedrick the entertainer and Vanessa Williams did a great job in their roles, but the remake could never hold a candle to the original Vacation or any of the sequels for that matter. (except for Christmas vacation 2).

I did find the first part of the movie very entertaining, but I somehow got lost in the sudden change of the story, where the Johnson family Finally makes it to the reunion, and has to turn around and leave. Although, the fact that it was one wrong turn after another, and a story of a family coming together, I must give it some credit for sticking to some of the original "vacation" movie. I would not recommend it to someone who loves the original vacation movies.

Spend a couple of hours with the Griswold, oops, I mean Johnson family as they take to the road for their family reunion.

Cedric the Entertainer supplies the laughs, all seven of them. A sexy female traveler inciting marital tension, being given the wrong car at the dealership, unkempt rural relatives, we've seen it all before.

But what might be the funniest thing of all about this predictable remake of National Lampoon's Vacation is that (Lil') Bow Wow has a higher billing than Vanessa Williams.

But the fact remains that if you are looking for about 90 minutes of profanity free family entertainment which, by the way, is becoming harder and harder to find these days, then maybe The Johnson Family Vacation is just what the doctor ordered.

This was way too long of a movie. The jokes were boring. Too bad such really good actors were thrown into a pretty bad movie. If they were trying to copy National Lampoon movies, they weren't even close. More often than not, you can't do a classic justice. From the start to finish, I just couldn't get interested. I watched it hoping that it would improve, and not even the jacuzzi scene made me laugh. I've always liked Steve Harvey but his part had him acting incredibly stupid and nowhere near funny. Even in the end, he was still being stupid. It was a waste of nearly two hours. I would suggest that instead of watching this movie you read a book. Or better yet, take a walk.

This movie is simply not good. It wasn't funny and was a very lame attempt to try something similar to National Lampoon's Vacation. There's hi-jinks at the hotel pool, going out to see silly things, etc... In this, the two parents are separated but are going to the husband's family reunion with the 3 kids. Considering they only spend a couple of hours at the reunion, why did they even go? Bow Wow basically uses this role as self-promotion since he raps. And when they get to the reunion, the relatives are dull and dumb, especially uncle earl.

I can't believe any of the actors would even let their name appear in the credits. If they weren't already famous, this movie would be career suicide. Even the music is terrible.

FINAL VERDICT: A snore fest.

Johnson Family Vacation is a very stupid comedy that's really not worth watching. Cedric the Entertainer plays Nate Johnson, a family man who agrees to take his brood across country to Missouri for the annual family reunion. Can his dysfunctional family survive the trip without killing each other? The plot is very generic and the execution is nothing new. The movie is so bland that there's no reason to actually go out and see it. The cast makes this film a bit better but they don't seem to be really be trying. Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa L. Williams both play their roles decently. Solange Knowles and Bow Wow play their kids and both don't really give memorable performances. Shannon Elizabeth was probably the best part about the film, too bad she's in it for about ten minutes. Steve Harvey has a small role as Nate's brother. Every second he is on screen though, makes the film very hard to watch as he is not funny at all. Christopher Erskin directs his first film and he can hopefully improve if he decides to make another one. The writers got very lazy in this film as most of the jokes fall flat. There may be a funny one here or there but that's not enough. This wouldn't had been problem if the running time wasn't 110 minutes. Since it is so long, there aren't enough jokes to sustain its running time. Also this film feels a lot longer then 110 minutes. When compared to other films, its better then The Cookout and Soul Plane. The National Lampoons road trip movies are a lot better and you should stick with those. In the end, this a very generic film that's not worth watching, though its pretty inoffensive. Rating 4/10, skip this unless your a die-hard fan of any of the stars involved.

This movie is so lame, so cobbled together, so lazy that it is truly one of the worst comedies made in the past decade. Cedric might have to sell The Entertainer part of his name soon if he keeps making crap like this and The Honeymooners. I mean, give it up, you are not a LEAD. As part of an ensemble, you are terrific (as Cedric proved in Barbershop) but the first thing they do is take a live wire like Cedric and have his father character in this movie be rather straight laced and conservative. Great - yes, let's smooth over all the rough edges that make this comic interesting. Of course, the minute a gag needs him to be leering and lewd, he does. There is no character reality in ANY of the characters. Lame, obvious gags unfold like you are watching an old vaudeville routine or a Popeye cartoon. They're good, Steve Harvey's bad, so let's watch what happens. Also, there is a TERRIBLE subplot where a guy is basically stalking Cedric's wife - Vanessa Williams. And at the end when the guy shows up at the family reunion in a huge semi and basically runs over the reunion - he gets out with flowers and claiming his love for Cedric's wife. So what happens. Well, Cedric's Momma - you know those heavy set chuckling mommas that Hollywood movies have to have - well, she walks up and slugs the stalker in the face - he gets knocked out and that is their solution to the problem. Yes,let's forget that he will eventually wake up and probably be even more adamant to bother the woman but what the heck - violence solves everything - especially when it's one of those funny one punch, quick knockout punches. Hee hee. And of course, at the end everyone changes and learns a lesson not because it has been written that way for these characters to develop but only because it is the end of the movie and time for this stuff to happen anyway. So false, so not funny. Awful.

"Johnson Family Vacation" could be looked upon as an ethnic version of the "National Lampoon's Vacation" movies. Basically, it's a silly Cedric the Entertainer vehicle. He stars as Nate Johnson, father of the family unit that includes Vanessa Williams and Bow Wow. This isn't the best movie for his talents, but not really the worst either. There are a few laughs, especially when Cedric acts alongside Steve Harvey, who plays his over-achieving brother Mike. Shannon Elizabeth also shows up as a sexy but scary, troublemaking hitchhiker. So if your a big fan of Cedric the Entertainer, you might want to check out "Johnson Family Vacation." Otherwise, you could do better with another "road trip" comedy.

I used to watch this as a kid. A few laughs here and there, I remember watching it numerous times. Rediscovered it recently, and have to say... didn't laugh once. It's not stupid, gross, sexual... it's just nothing. There could have been some really great parts - the cast has great potential. I just feel like my couch cushions have more fun than this. National Lampoon's works because it's silly and sticks to it - this just needed to find it's way!

This movie isn't so bad. In fact, for a comedy, for a 'light' movie, made to relax, in a Sunday afternoon, while u're watching it with your family, it's even a pretty good, funny movie. I think those who were criticized this movie so harsh, obviously were exaggerated, to say the least. I mean.. votes like 3-4..come on..Don't u think u are exaggerated? Or probably, until now, u haven't seen a REAL bad/boring movie..There are a few scenes in ''Johnson's family'' which are really funny, and this is the aim, after all. Beside, the womens, mother and daughter, are so hot..and they are playing their role pretty well..So, this was the first vote i've seen on IMDb that I think is quite incomprehensible, too harsh, exaggerated, after all, even ''gustibus no disputandum....''

Comedies are definitely not my thing, however, this road movie enchanted me, family movies with cute kids and rebellious teenagers enchant me, the script is silly, exaggerated and cliché, some scenes make you cringe, forced and silly, I love it, nothing original, but a reinterpretation of common and already explored facts, but still, yes, it entertains and delights us with the friendliness of the characters... Fun, funny, silly and exaggerated...

A very unusual family tries to survive incredible obstacles on a journey across the country towards an annual family reunion. Along the way, they will have to face a psychotic truck driver, give a ride to a witchcraft enthusiast and "unmask" the dangers of a bathtub in a strange hotel.

Johnson Family Vacation, starring two of the kings of comedy, Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer. You would think this movie would be very funny, but it is far from funny. First off, the acting was horrible. Lil Bow Wow and Solange Knowles were absolutely awful and were probably the worst edition to the picture. Cedric the Entertainer is an hilarious comedian, but in this, is hardly ever funny except in a couple of scenes at the most. Beside that, the movie is hard to sit through. At first, you think well, maybe it just needs to get started up, but it stays a slow, boring pace the whole time. The story and acting of this movie were a huge let-down. I still can't believe the stars of this movie were involved. Trust me, stay far, far away.

Recently estranged parents Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa L. Williams come back together to go to Cedric's family reunion. Along for the ride are their three kids (super-cool Lil' Bow Wow, super-hot Solange Knowles and super-cute Gabby Soleil) and a wide variety of mishaps and misadventures as they hit the road together in a new SUV that Cedric has borrowed from a dealership. Naturally their trip from Los Angeles to Missouri will have hilarious consequences along the way. Cedric has ulterior motives to win a "Family of the Year" prize at the reunion, getting it away from older brother Steve Harvey (in a well-timed role). He also has to contend with his mother (Aloma Wright) when he reaches his destination, but first he and his family must over-come ultra-sexy hitchhiker Shannon Elizabeth (who happens to be a black magic priestess) and even an unseen 18-wheeler driver who continues to push Cedric's buttons. "Johnson Family Vacation" is basically an African American version of the "National Lampoon's Vacation" series. Cedric and Williams have the same comedic timing and relationship that Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo shared during their long run. The kids though here are quite better than any throughout the aforementioned series. But the similarities between this movie and those from the previous series are amazing as we have an erotic stranger, a rented vehicle, a road trip, a family get-together and even a take on a Wayne Newton song. In many ways "Johnson Family Vacation" is old hat, but I still liked the film because Cedric is just such a hilarious screen presence. The others all feed off his intensity and Williams is the ultimate "straight lady" in the mix as she just seems out of place with her great looks and outstanding manners (this is a compliment to her by the way). Eventually the movie loses its way as the trip nears a close, but "Johnson Family Vacation" is still a very funny experience at the movies. Does that make it a good production? Certainly not, but it is still a legitimate rest from reality. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Ugh, this movies was bad. Not so bad that you want to hunt the filmmakers down and get your money back. Bud pretty close. The movie insults its audience on so many levels. Do we not have a clue which end of a car the muffler is on? It is so forced and contrived. The wife is just mean to the hubby. Shannon Elizabeth's alligator comes out of nowhere, and The Entertainer is just an Ego Maniac. I mean please, even Madonna didn't call herself "Madonna The Signer" How far would Spielberg have gotten as "Steven The Director" Cedric's head is bigger then the fat body you get to see in this movie. Which by the way the only bear chest exposed in this is his. I'd NEVER watch this again.

I cannot believe Cedric, Vanessa, Steve Harvey and Bow Wow! Ok, Solange may have needed some exposure, but the rest of these artists should not have risked their reputations to do this movie. It sucked! My 13 and 14 year old daughters liked it probably because of Bow Wow. This movie has a ton of potential, but unfortunately the potential was not fulfilled. The plot was weak, the acting by Cedric and Solange was purely awful. I hate that I wasted my money and time to see it. Not even worth seeing on TV. I viewed someone's comment that said they would wait for the $1.50 show. Let me tell you, even THAT would be too much to pay for this film! The best part of this movie was the end! I did, however, enjoy the actress who portrayed Cedric and Steve Harvey's mother. I always enjoy her performances no matter how crappy the movie is. Sorry I don't know her name.

This movie, was so bad my fiancé was asking me to turn it off and put her out of her misery. I would have but i figured i suffered through the first half of it, why not treat it like a visit to the dentist, and enjoy the pain. That is exactly what watching this movie was Painful, not funny at all, from the Rubber alligator to the Retardedly Big Hamburgers, Bow wows lack of acting skills, hell he doesn't have any skill, except making young black teenage girls get dizzy. This movie makes the Snoop Dawg airline film look good, and i thought that was impossible. While it is commendable to make a film without cursing, at least make it funny. I mean steve martin can make a movie without cursing and its hilarious.

I laughed a few times in the first 15 minutes of this movie. After that it went downhill very fast. There were more deleted scenes on the DVD that were funnier than the movie. What's with that rubber, mechanical supposed alligator that crawled into their bedroom. And what's with that study partner and his insanity. This movie made little or no sense. Cedric's character makes a huge deal out of going to the family reunion to win the annual family trophy but he hasn't been to one in the last 5 years. Who are all those people at the reunion? We never learn very muchabout any of the characters. This movie is as bad as it gets. I gave it a 1 for awful. If you want a funny black comedy check out Barbershop and Barbershop 2.

In "Johnson Family Vacation," which is little more than an all-black version of the National Lampoon Vacation movies from twenty or so years ago, Nate Johnson loads his wife and three kids into the car and drives from their home in Los Angeles to a family reunion in Missouri. Along the way, of course, the family meets with a series of comic misadventures that threaten to prevent them from reaching their destination.

Despite the derivative storyline, the early scenes in the film exhibit a kind of playful spirit that bodes well for the rest of the movie. This is due in no small measure to Cedric the Entertainer, who, unlike so many of the comics who appear in these types of movies, doesn't feel the need to stand apart from the material in order to draw attention to himself. Indeed, it is the laid-back, unfussy way in which he delivers his lines that makes them so funny. He is also blessed with an attractive supporting cast that includes Vanessa Williams as his long-suffering wife and Bow Wow as his mouthy but generally good-hearted teenage son. The movie even includes some clever little satirical jabs at the accoutrements and symbols of modern-day black culture as Nate, the traditionalist, who listens to '70's soul on his worn-out 8-tracks, goes toe-to-toe with his adolescent gansta' rap adolescents.

But as the Johnsons tootle their way across country in their souped-up SUV, we begin to notice that the film itself has stalled out. About halfway through, it dawns on us that the movie isn't really going anywhere, that it is merely playing out variations on incidents we've seen earlier in the film, and that the set pieces and situations aren't nearly as interesting or outrageous as they should be. This is truly a pity because, given the attractive cast, we really want to like "Johnson Family Vacation" more than we ultimately do.

Still, all things considered, this makes for a reasonable diverting, mindless time at the movies, and Cedric the Entertainer's moniker has rarely seemed so apt.

The Johnson Family Vacation... This is what happens when you take a classic movie series like Nation Lapoon's Vacation, strip out any of the original actors, and then go and make it a BLACK film. OMFG, the most terrible writing with heavy doses of extremely racist banter (black aimed towards white, which must be funny to lower class audiences). At first I thought Martin Lawrence wrote this funny, cause its as racist and unfunny as he is. You know, there really seems to be no end to the negative points concerning this film. For potential viewers out there, do yourself a huge favor and go get another movie or DVD at the video store. This movie is so bad, it shouldn't even make it to cable, or DVD. What a waste of time.

This film is definitely one for somebody who has arrived late from work and wants to watch a light hearted comedy. Cedric the entertainer is very comedic especially when he disputes music with Bow wow and in the pool with all the large ladies. From start to finish from California to the family reunion there are comedic and witty moments and everything from launching urine at a policeman to running out of gas and meeting uncle earl who is also Cedric the entertainer happens. A film for everyone who loves long journeys and Solange Knowles, (I know i do). The film is alike a 'My Wife and Kids' episode and coninscidently features Jennifer Freeman. A great family film with an excellent ending

Cedric the Enterainer is an aquired taste at the best of times, but this film stretches that patience a bit too far for its own good.

This is a borderline passable attempt to remake 'National Lampoon's Vacation' with an all black cast, and it ends up only being borderline funny in the process.

The road movie/family vacation plotline is an often used one, and done right it can be a scream. This film doesn't utilise any of its cast particularly well, and their natural likability is not enough to carry a ninety minute film over the line from start to finish.

It's I'm sure well-intentioned, but isn't good.

It is an annual event in the wider Johnson clan to get together for a reunion of food, song and competition – a competition that is always won by Mack Johnson. Despite being separated from his wife, Nate Johnson gets his family together to attend as usual and keep up appearances. With a brand new Navigator truck and a tight time scale, the family of five set out on their road trip only to find themselves having to deal with cement, police, alligators and hitchhikers – and that's all before they get to the reunion.

I generally avoid all-black comedies; not because I am racist but because the opposite is true – and I find that many of these modern blaxploitation comedies are full of racist stereotypes and broad ethnic caricatures. With this film screening on a flight I was on I decided to watch it as I find it very difficult to sleep on planes. I was pleased to find that the film didn't base itself on racist stereotypes and the like and instead went for the more race-neutral approach of road movie broad gags a la Vacation. This is not to say that it is funnier – only easier to watch because it is less offensive to me personally. The plot is very simple but it makes the mistake of not staying simple – instead it adds subplots of separation and treats them seriously. This is a problem because it rounds them off in glib, unconvincing ways that make a joke out of ever having them in the first place – the whole issue of Nate and Dorothy working things out is a perfect example, the supposed focal point of the family contest is another one – it feels tacked on.

The film is not anywhere near as funny as it needed to be to be a good comedy. It has the odd laugh but generally the humour is so very broad and uninspired that it is hard to do anything but raise the occasional smile. Part of the reason it is even slightly funny is due to the good work from Cedric the Entertainer. He isn't great here but he does manage to get laughs from the poor material he is given to deliver. Bow Wow is hardly much of a draw but aside from being an annoying rapper cliché in the making, he does do well alongside Cedric. Williams is an OK actress but here she has nothing to do – she has no laughs and she is betrayed by the script when it comes to the serious side of the film. Knowles looks sexy but that's it – nothing more than that; likewise Soleil is a 'cute kid' and nothing more. Harvey is so poor that I actually wondered if he was the reason that the whole 'family contest' thing was pushed into such a small part of the film.

Overall this is a very average film at best. The plot is terrible at points and just annoyed me in the way that it seemed to just write-off the entire affair in the final section. The laughs come mainly from Cedric who does OK considering the very broad material he has to work with (and with little support from his co-stars). It's good that it more or less avoid the lazy racist stereotyping inherent in the 'black comedy' genre but it would have been nice if they'd replaced it with something worthwhile.