ThiefHott
Too much of everything
Kailansorac
Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Myriam Nys
The first "Nicolas" movie was a comic delight, mainly because it successfully evoked the uniquely wild and wonderful mental universe of children, where the most sensible ideas sound ridiculous and the most ridiculous ideas sound sensible. The movie also provided an original (and very funny) take on the age-old subject of sibling rivalry.Sadly for all concerned the sequel is far, far worse than the original. There is a considerable decrease in charm, wit and imagination. I don't exactly know what causes this slackening, but I suppose it's got something to do with a shift in emphasis. The parents, both husband and wife, gain in importance, which is a problem since the screenplay provides them with far-fetched and unconvincing adventures. (The dance sequence involving the wife needs to be seen to be believed.) Meanwhile, we're getting a lot of new (child) characters, at least a number of which are not as funny or memorable as the originals. Last but not least I was amazed by the absence of Nicolas' baby sister, whose arrival pretty much dominated the first movie. Listen, people, you can't make a whole movie revolving around the birth of a second child, and then make a sequel in which the said child is never shown or mentioned : it creates a continuity hole the size of Ginnungagap.So I can't really recommend the second movie - but do watch the first, it's delightful.
aztellafriend
Since I do not have access to Parental guide editing, I am adding it here as FYI. The movie has a scene where a woman can be seen running away from the camera completely nude. Keep this in mind if you are considering this movie for young kids. The male character is nude as well, his critical parts are hidden behind a piece of garment (held in his hand).I liked the first movie much better. The actor who played Nicholas in the first movie was great. Even though the new actor is very good, I would have loved to see the same actor for continuity. Kad Merad is great as always.
carlesmiquel
I can say, for sure, as all of Goscinny's work, this film will delight kids and grown-ups alike. For children, there's a lot going on for Nicolas and his family during a vacation moved from the mountains to the sea. But for all of us who like light-spirited films as deep ones, this one breaks barriers seldom seen in recent times. If you want to be thrilled by technical issues that will not scream "I'm here" during your first watch, please, watch it again! They designed this film with much more detail than even Goscinny's stories when they were depicted in its time. Color is of the essence. And here, designers got their hands on it as if it was the end of the world. It's stunning, to say the least, the use of color and textures to make this film a truly memorable feat of design. Photography, on the other end, is superb. The night scenes are beautiful and luscious. The time-warp costumes and color matching of absolutely everything helps a lot in telling the story. And to cap it all, the cars are all of the era, and not just "period" cars. They chose a line-up of beautiful museum quality, colorful and perfectly matching cars with specs for the time-frame of the film. If you love the Facel-Vega, Citroën, Peugeot, Renault, Simca... you're in for a treat. Watch the kids! Watch dad and mom and granny! They are great. Of course, there may be some flaws, but I see them as part of a funny, uplifting, absurd and very very French film. What cinema should always be: entertaining and beautiful, no matter the subject.
Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Les vacances du petit Nicolas" is the sequel to another French movie from 5 years ago. And not a lot has changed. The director is the same and so are the parents to Litte Nick, including the talented and funny Kad Merad. One major change, however, is the lead actor. The child actor who played Nick back then would be too old now, so they recast the part. This film is again based on the stories of René Goscinny, which you should now from his prolific work on the Asterix comics. Fittingly, director Laurent Tirard has also directed a film on the little Gaul in the past.As a whole you could probably classify this film as one of those movies that are worth a watch if you're in for something light, but do not expect too much depth. There is some truly nice scenes like the one near the end, when the little girl looks at Nicolas as their ways are parting. Is it true love? You will find out during the closing credits. Another scene which was nice symbolism was the tractor rolling over the limousine which basically perfectly described the victory of Nicolas' father over the new admirer of his wife. There, I have a criticism also, however. I thought the whole speech of the wife where she belongs was just not suitable and added unnecessary dramatic tension to a film where it did not belong, even if it was well-acted. Other parts I was not too fond of was the whole subplot about him retiring from his job, which was just too predictable to be funny that his boss called him and wants to promote him. Also I did not like how they never touched this topic again afterward. Apart from that, i was not too fond of the whole story that dad's pal thinks his dad is broke and how he finds out etc.What i clearly preferred were those short intermission scenes, the boy at his wedding with the different girls or Grandma burying everybody (a true comedic highlight). Another highlight were these uncountable classic movie references ("Psycho", "The Shining", "Casablanca" and probably many more I overlooked) "Les vacances du petit Nicolas" is a typical French comedy suitable for all ages. If this is your cup of tea, give it a chance. You will not be disappointed.
