National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure is a 2003 made-for-TV comedy spin-off of the original Christmas Vacation. The film follows Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), who loses his job at a nuclear facility after being bitten by a lab monkey. To avoid a lawsuit, his employer sends Eddie, his family, and a few others on an all-expenses-paid vacation to the South Pacific. However, their trip takes a disastrous turn when they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Eddie must step up to provide for his family, proving his worth in the process. The group celebrates Christmas on the island before being rescued, with Eddie even managing to land the rescue plane. In the end, Eddie regains his job, and the family returns home.
The film had a modest budget typical of made-for-TV productions, though exact figures are not widely reported. It is significantly lower than the $27 million budget of the original Christmas Vacation. The movie was poorly received, with limited financial success, as it did not have a theatrical release. Its legacy remains as a lesser-known and less-loved entry in the Vacation franchise, with no significant impact on the franchise’s overall net worth or cultural standing.
