Vacaciones de verano 2023 Movie Review
A few years ago, Santiago Segura found the perfect key that measured the audience’s interest at all times and also always knew how to sell his products like no one else. Thus we go from the Torrente saga to Sin Rodeos, another box-office success, and from there to the Father trilogy there is only one, to the two installments of Full train!, although the second one was not directed by him, and to this new one movie.
All aimed at family audiences and, to date, all filling movie theaters. Even one of them saving many cinemas in the middle of the pandemic. But the release of so many films, all of them effective, with the same or similar formula, in such close succession, has caused it to become exhausted, and in this new film that fatigue is evident. It is less effective than the previous ones. It still is, but less so.
It must be clear that it is more than likely that both Santiago Segura and his co-writer from Sin Rodeos, Marta González de Vega, are very clear about what the objectives are and to whom these films are directed. They do not seek to revolutionize cinematographic narrative, although they have given the Spanish audiovisual industry a good turnaround, they seek to create a competent, well-put together product, with an attractive cast, with a lot of humor, a tight duration and a measured pace that engages a group of adults on an adventure surrounded by children whom they are not able to control.
In this case, two men who have been fired from their jobs and find themselves in need of taking charge of the children’s entertainment at a hotel, taking with them their respective children, whom they must hide so that they do not get fired from their new job. . From that moment on, the aforementioned elements are deployed.
Leo Harlem and Segura himself get to work leading the cast, full of popular and childish faces, young talents who had already appeared on several occasions in Segura’s films, although there are some additions that are worth highlighting. For example, the fact that Marta González de Vega’s role is somewhat larger than in other films, she always helps. The incorporation of the young Rodrigo Gibaja is also a success, and the presence of Cristina Gallego, away from the sets of El Intermedio, also benefits the film. One even misses more screen time for Fernando Gil and his crazy psychologist. But even if the actors are good, it is not enough to get the film off the ground, nor to fully convince us like the previous ones. Something is missing from this recipe and it shows throughout the footage.
Have fun and have a great time, that was the formula, and it seems somewhat worn out here. The humor does not work as effectively as in the previous proposals, and the rhythm fails at times. A lot happens in a few days and then, suddenly, it’s all over. There is not the fluidity that in the previous ones. It’s still working? Yes. Your audience will be delighted, and will applaud at various points, but they will do so less than in the past. Maybe it’s time to give all this a twist, or maybe other characters in this universe have already convinced us and these new ones don’t do it as much. But, although technically the film has no buts, and although there is still charisma and good intentions, as a film it is not completely convincing. Of course, I hope it continues to fill movie theaters, they really need it.
