Directed by Clay Tarver — Screenplay by Clay Tarver.

Two years ago, Vacation Friends was released on Hulu, Disney+, or one of the other international Disney-owned streaming services. It boasted a relatively strong main cast, and it was a solid and charming enough comedy flick that I enjoyed much more than I expected to. Back then, I found that John Cena’s excitable comedic energy elevated what was essentially a passable but definitely enjoyable streaming comedy. Parts of that first film felt disposable, but there was enough good there for me to remember the so-so original comedy fondly. Now, two years later, Clay Tarver and 20th Century Studios have gotten the original cast back together for a direct sequel hoping to recapture that same magic. Tarver doesn’t fully succeed, even though there are moments here that do work (and some that work better on paper than as it has been carried out on screen).