Critic Reviews

Christmas Vacation (1989) Rank 3 Reviews

Expert Review Summary
Movie critics combined give Christmas Vacation (1989) a score of 2.9575 out of 4
based on (40) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
2
Good
(4)
1
Fair
(2)
Poor
0
Poor
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Reviews by Score:
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)
Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is the father everyone wants their best friend to have. He's a man of tradition who takes great pride in taking his family on the occasional vacation. First off, it was a cross-country road trip to Wally World in National ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Entry #3 in the National Lampoon's Vacation series is the last funny installment of the four movies (plus one made-for-TV movie which starred none of the original cast members). This time out the Griswolds aren't on a road trip -- they're spending ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Oz)eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
If you're not aware of the "National Lampoon's Vacation" series, with Chevy Chase, Bev D'Angelo et al, well it might be time to crawl out from under the safety of yonder rock and hit your Blockbuster (or appropriate alternative video place that allows ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Movie Addict (John Ulmer)Movie Addict (John Ulmer)
"A Christmas Carol," "Scrooge"...all classics we watch every year at Christmas...add "Christmas Vacation" to that list... ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Addict (John Ulmer)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Three Movie Buffs (Eric Nash)Three Movie Buffs (Eric Nash)
As a trivia note this movie has some relevant supporting players. Before making it big on Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the Griswold's yuppy neighbor. Before she was Ray's mother on Everybody Loves Raymond Doris Roberts was Ellen Griswold's mom. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Eric Nash)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DVD TimesDVD Times
Chevy Chase returns in the Griswold family’s third (mis)adventure, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Deciding to stay home at Christmas, Clark (Chase) and his family (Beverly D’Angelo returns as wife Ellen, while the kids are this time ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Times
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
All Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) ever wanted was an old-fashioned Christmas at home. All Clark received was chaos the size of the Chernobyl incident! When his family and friends come visiting for Christmas Vacation, Clark finds himself up to his eyeballs ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top CriticsRotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics
Ah Noël! C'est le temps des cadeaux, des achats et des douloureuses factures. Mais avant tout, c'est supposé être le temps de se réunir en famille et de célébrer. Parmi les nombreuses traditions reliées à cette fête, on y retrouve de plus en ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Teen Movie Critic (Mandy Heiser)Teen Movie Critic (Mandy Heiser)
he third of the four "Vacation" films, Christmas Vacation takes on a slightly different form... The Griswolds are at it again, but this time in the "safety" of their own home. It's Christmas...what can go wrong? Well...a lot. Relatvies arguing, ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Mandy Heiser)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
It seems that we weren't full of Christmas cheer when we reviewed this third movie in the Vacation series as "distinctly desperate". High art this may not be, but who could turn away this tale of family relatives causing yuletide misery for Chevy ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for dvdfuture.com dvdfuture.com
I have always liked the Vacation films and have always been a fan of Chevy Chase. This is the third film in the series and my personal favorite. The light plot involves Chase desperately waiting for that big X-Mas bonus and when he does not get it right ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at dvdfuture.com
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)
Clark Griswold, Oberhaupt der Schrillen Vier, hat sich geschworen, dass er und seine Lieben dieses Jahr zu Hause bleiben werden, um in Ruhe Weihnachten zu feiern. Ruhe?? Das Dach der Griswolds ist mit 25.000 Lichtern bestückt und ähnelt einer ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
What does National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation have in common with It's a Wonderful Life? Well, some would argue that both are holiday classics, in their own ways. But here's the real trivia nut's connection: Frank Capra III -- grandson of the ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DVD MovieGuideDVD MovieGuide
First we saw the Griswold family go on a cross-country US trip with disastrous results. Next they took on Europe and encountered similarly nutty problems. With the series’ third installment, we watch the Griswolds celebrate the holiday season in ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD MovieGuide
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Mutant Reviewers From HellMutant Reviewers From Hell
Once upon a time, when this reviewer was just a wee laddie, we had what at first appeared to be the worst Christmas ever. My father was laid off from the mill a mere four days before Dec. 25th, my mother was pregnant with twin sisters, I had the chicken ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Mutant Reviewers From Hell
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Doug Pratt's DVD ReviewDoug Pratt's DVD Review
The holiday comedy is presented in full screen format only, though it is doubtful that much, or anything, is lost without letterboxing. Fleshtones are a little pinkish, but generally the color transfer looks fine, with deep hues and sharp detail. The ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Doug Pratt's DVD Review
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the perhaps best of the Vacation sequels, and somehow, the one that feels the most different from the others, probably because it doesn’t actually involve the Griswold family actually traveling anywhere. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
All Clark Griswold (Chase) wants is an old-fashioned Christmas with his family and relatives beside him. Apparently what Clark doesn't realize is that he's…Clark Griswold! Of course there's no way on God's green and gold earth that the Griswold's ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Washington Post (Rita Kempley)Washington Post (Rita Kempley)
As the unsinkable Clark Griswold of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," Chevy Chase survives a holiday season that would try Job's patience. His dreams of "the most fun-filled old-fashioned family Christmas ever" soon give way to the realities ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Washington Post (Rita Kempley)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for DVD Town (John J. Puccio)DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
The four National Lampoon "Vacation" comedies with Chevy Chase saw their ups and downs, as a series of motion pictures and within each film. "Christmas Vacation," from 1989, the third in the sequence, is no exception. As a movie it marks an up turn; ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Deseret News, Salt Lake City Deseret News, Salt Lake City
"National Lampoon's Vacation" a few years back was a pretty funny movie, almost in spite of itself. Though lighthearted and goofy, the film contained more than it's share of black humor with many of its very dark satirical barbs aimed at every sacred ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for MovieFreak.com (Dennis Landmann)MovieFreak.com (Dennis Landmann)
John Hughes returns to the Vacation films as writer and producer of Christmas Vacation, the third in the series. The idea of staying home this time around, after a cross country "holiday roooaad" and a European vacation, is not very compelling and ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at MovieFreak.com (Dennis Landmann)
Christmas Vacation (1989) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for New York Times (Janet Maslin)New York Times (Janet Maslin)
When Chevy Chase finds a good way to hurt himself in ''National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,'' he generally tries it more than once. The board that whacks him in the chin is liable to strike again. Floors will collapse, ladders fall, Christmas trees ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at New York Times (Janet Maslin)

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Christmas Vacation (1989) Reviews
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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Overall Rating:
3.0507
Christmas Vacation (1989) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
Avg Critic Score:
2.9575
Christmas Vacation (1989) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
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