Vacation Friends 2 is the follow-up to the 2021 comedy hit Vacation Friends, which was a surprise success for Hulu. The movie reunites the four main characters from the first film.
In the sequel, Marcus invites Ron and Kyla to join him and Emily on a business trip to Hawaii, hoping to impress his potential new boss. However, things go awry when Ron and Kyla bring along their newborn baby and Kyla’s estranged father.
The movie tries to recreate the formula of the first film, which was based on the contrast between the uptight and the outrageous couples. However, it fails to deliver any fresh or funny jokes, relying instead on recycled gags, vulgar language, and chaotic situations.
The movie also wastes the talents of its cast, who seem to be going through the motions without much enthusiasm. John Cena and Meredith Hagner are still energetic as Ron and Kyla, but their characters are too cartoonish and annoying to be likable.
Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji are reduced to playing straight men who react to the absurdity around them. Steve Buscemi is underused as Kyla’s father, who has no chemistry or conflict with Cena’s character.
The movie also lacks any emotional or thematic depth, unlike some of the better comedy sequels. It does not explore the dynamics or development of the friendships or relationships between the characters, nor does it comment on any relevant social or cultural issues.
The movie is directed by Clay Tarver, who also co-wrote and directed the first film. He seems to have run out of ideas for this sequel, which feels like an unnecessary cash grab. The movie was produced by 20th Century Studios and Hulu, and was released on August 25, 2023.
The movie has received mostly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. It currently holds a 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes1 and a 4.6/10 score on IMDb2. Some of the common criticisms are that the movie is unfunny, unoriginal, illogical, and boring.