Nobody 2: The Griswold Family Vacation Gets a Body Count

Bob Odenkirk's Hutch Mansell is back, and this time he's packing sunscreen, swim trunks, and enough suppressed weaponry to make a water park security guard weep. Nobody 2—released in August 2025 and now happily wreaking havoc on streaming shelves in 2026—follows the retired assassin as he attempts to reconnect with his family by visiting Plummerville, a nostalgia-soaked amusement town from his childhood. Naturally, the vacation goes sideways faster than a rented pontoon boat with a hole in it, and Hutch ends up dismantling a criminal empire between rounds of Whac-A-Mole. But here's the twist that has amused film nerds everywhere: this action sequel is basically National Lampoon's Vacation with real bullets.

A Tale of Two Dads Who Just Want a Nice Trip

In 1983, Chevy Chase's Clark Griswold bundled his family into a station wagon and drove them toward Walley World, a Southern California amusement park. His dream was simple: create magical memories. His reality was a cascading disaster of dead aunts, misplaced luggage, and a BB gun standoff with a security guard played by John Candy. Hutch Mansell shares that same fire. He wants quality time with his wife and kids. He wants to see the look on their faces when the water slide opens. He just happens to express his disappointment with a body count.

Both men are short-tempered. Both snap when plans go awry. The difference is that Clark yells at hotel clerks, while Hutch leaves them with multiple contusions and a story they'll tell in physical therapy. As one might expect, the film leans into that contrast for comedy. The fights are gleefully absurd—park mascots get suplexed, bumper cars become tactical weapons, and a carousel horse is probably still in therapy.

The Family Formula: Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Elder, Dog

Strip away the gunfire and you'll notice something eerie. Both films feature a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, an older family member, and a dog. Both vacations go spectacularly wrong. Both climax at a theme park. Nobody 2 even includes a booby-trapped amusement ride finale that would make Clark Griswold weep with envy—or call his lawyer. The main difference is that Clark's problems are comedic inconveniences, while Hutch's problems are corrupt cops and henchmen who want him dead.

Why the Rip-Off Works Better Than a Remake

Hollywood tried remaking Vacation in 2015. It didn't go great. Audiences yawned, critics winced, and the less said about the new generation of Griswolds, the better. Nobody 2 wisely avoids copying the 1983 classic beat for beat. Instead, it steals its skeleton—the family vacation that spirals into madness—and dresses it in tactical gear. The result is an unofficial remake that actually justifies its existence. Odenkirk, who co-wrote the script, knows exactly how to play a suburban dad with a hidden skill set. He's relatable right up until he's throwing a henchman through a funnel cake stand.

The Verdict: A Vacation You Can't Refund

Nobody 2 runs a tight 89 minutes, which is roughly the length of a Griswold family argument. It blends action and comedy with the confidence of a man who has beaten up a biker gang with a kettlebell. The film doesn't pretend to be high art. It's a summer snack—popcorn, violence, and a water park employee who definitely didn't sign up for this. But beneath the punches and the one-liners, there's a surprisingly sweet story about a father trying to be present for his family. He just keeps getting interrupted by people he has to kill.

So if you've ever watched National Lampoon's Vacation and thought, "This needs more assassinations," then Nobody 2 is your weirdly specific prayer answered. It's streaming now, and it's the only family vacation movie where the souvenir you bring home might be a shrapnel wound. 🎢💥🔫