Vacation! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Vacation! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 24, 2024

In 2013, writer/director Zach Clark created “White Reindeer,” which was a nicely crafted dark comedy, showing some invention and a sense of humor for a low-budget endeavor. In 2010, Clark delivered “Vacation,” which provides a good reason to watch “White Reindeer” again. Attempting to make something loose and bizarre with four characters trying to have some fun in Florida, the helmer aims to get weird and melancholy with the feature, which doesn’t have much in the way of a plot or purpose at times. It’s meant to be more of an experience with moods and mischief, but it often plays without much energy, offering a meandering understanding of emotional issues and friendships.

Sugar (Maggie Ross) has had enough of daily life, working to corral her best friends into a vacation week at the beach. Administrative assistant Dee- Dee (Melodie Sisk) is working through relationship issues with her girlfriend, but she’s willing to go. Donna (Trieste Kelly Dunn), a teacher, is more than happy to join the fun, and Lorelei (Lydia Hyslop), who’s just broken up with her boyfriend, is ready to party. Taking command of a rental home, the foursome play games, visit the beach, and deal with The Surfer (Michael Abbott Jr.), a curious local. Soon enough, the pals must deal with a greater challenge to their mental health, casting a pall over the whole getaway.

“Vacation” follows the merriment of the four characters, who take to the opportunity to kick back and enjoy life for a week. Clark oversees such fun, with the women arranging party games and confession time, and even a bit of flirting, as Lorelai and Dee-Dee dance around their mutual attraction. Drinking is common, and there’s an entire sequence devoted to a shared acid trip, which feels like an attempt at padding from Clark, who otherwise doesn’t have a 90-minute-long film. Surreal touches are strained, but there’s a more interesting side to “Vacation” with Dee-Dee, who’s struggling with her relationship, unable to deal with the problem over the phone. The mystery of The Surfer is also in play, who comes off like a creep, but has a bit more sensitivity to share when he lets down his guard.

Vacation! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with the technological limitations of the low-budget production, which was shot with commercial grade cameras. Detail is inherently softer, but skin particulars are appreciable as the action heads to the beach and follows the characters around the house. Interiors deliver some dimension, and exteriors provide depth, doing well with beach activity. A few shots are captured with what appears to be a phone, resulting in an intended drop in resolution. Color remains consistent, with brighter hues on swimwear and tourist experiences. Acid trip visuals deliver a defined look. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression falters at times, with banding detected.

Vacation! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 Dolby Digital mix offers a basic understanding of dialogue exchanges, which retain intelligibility throughout the listening event. Scoring cues support adequately, with occasional visits to more aggressive electropop songs. Beach atmospherics are appreciable.

Vacation! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (14 pages) offers essays by Mark Olsen and Stephen Saito.

• Commentary features director Zach Clark and actresses Lydia Hyslop, Maggie Ross, and Melodie Sisk. It was recorded in 2012.

• "Miracle Bowel Cleanse" (5:02, SD) is the full infomercial found in the movie.

• Deleted Scenes (10:00, SD) offer more low-res shenanigans with the foursome as they explore their surroundings.

• And a Trailer (1:29, HD) is included.

Vacation! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Vacation" is built for those who enjoy following the flow of their cinema, as Clark shows no interest in establishing a story, preferring to remain in a haze with the characters as they lose their minds and soon face a sobering reality. It actually takes 50 minutes for something of significance to happen in the feature, which is troubling, and the general vibe of the effort resembles a student film, which doesn't support plans to add some gravity to the last act of the picture. "Vacation" mostly feels like work to sit through, but the light at the end of the tunnel here is awareness that Clark will become a stronger moviemaker in the future.