Vacation appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. No concerns cropped up here.
Sharpness was excellent. From start to finish, the flick presented crisp, concise images without any issues connected to softness. Jagged edges and shimmering didn’t occur, and edge enhancement remained absent. Source flaws also failed to present any problems, as the movie offered a clean image.
In terms of colors, the film favored a mild golden tint or some light teal. The hues were solid within the design parameters. Blacks seemed deep and tight, while shadows were good, with nice clarity and smoothness. This was a consistently strong image.
As for the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, it seemed more than satisfactory. It favored the usual “comedy mix” and didn’t present many chances for the soundscape to explode. We did find a few action scenes – most of which took place on the road – but the track usually opted for stereo music and general environmental material. Though these didn’t seem exciting, they opened up the piece in a satisfying manner.
I thought audio quality appeared positive. Speech seemed distinctive and natural, with no rough tones or other issues. Score and songs displayed clear, warm music, and effects functioned well. Those elements were realistic and full throughout the movie. Again, nothing here dazzled, but the mix accentuated the action in a good way.
A handful of extras fill out the package, and we open with Return to Walley World. It goes for nine minutes, 54 seconds and offers comments from writers/actors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, producers Chris Bender and David Dobkin, and actors Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, Beverly D’Angelo, Chris Hemsworth, and Chevy Chase. We learn about story/characters, cast and performances, and reflections of the original film. A few decent notes emerge – and we get some good footage from the set – but not much substance emerges here.
The Griswold Odyssey fills 18 minutes, 23 seconds with info from Helms, Applegate, Daley, Goldstein, Bender, Hemsworth, Gisondo, Stebbins, Chase, D’Angelo, executive producer Marc S. Fischer, stunt coordinator Peter King, vehicle owners Steve and Lisa Griswold, and actors Leslie Mann and Charlie Day. “Odyssey” looks at the movie’s vehicle, stunts and effects, story/characters, cast and performances, and locations. The featurette touches on topics in a semi-random manner, but it offers a reasonable number of interesting tidbits.
Next comes a one-minute, 32-second Gag Reel. It presents goofs/giggles, but it also comes with a few alternate lines. Those make it worth a look.
13 Deleted Scenes occupy a total of 12 minutes, 13 seconds. Most offer minor extensions or gags, but two moderately major bits appear. One shows the family’s accidental arrival at a Burning Man-style festival – complete with cameos from two of Daley’s old Freaks & Geeks co-stars – and another lets us see the fate of the Stone character. These become interesting to see.
Finally, Georgia lasts two minutes, two seconds. It offers some notes from Applegate, Gisondo, and Helms. We get quick thoughts about sets and locations. It’s just an ad for Atlanta.
A second disc provides a DVD Copy of Vacation. It includes the deleted scenes and “Georgia” but lacks the other extras.
Whether we view it as a remake or a reboot or a sequel, 2015’s Vacation becomes a weak film. It offers a handful of laughs but lacks much comedic zeal. The Blu-ray boasts excellent visuals along with good audio and some decent supplements. While not a terrible film, Vacation fails to provide enough humor to succeed.