‘Vacation’ launches with $1.2 million in Tuesday pre-shows

The comedy “Vacation” kicked off its box office trip with a solid $1.2 million in early Tuesday night showings.

The Warner Bros. New Line Cinema film is expected to open with a solid $25 million to $34 million over the five-day period, according to people familiar with pre-release audience surveys. It will go up against “Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation,” the latest installment in Paramount Pictures’ action franchise,” this weekend.

“Vacation” is written and directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis, co-writers of the popular summer 2011 comedy “Horrible Bosses.” It follows the next generation of the Griswold family, played by Ed Helms (from “The Hangover” films), Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann and others.

So far, reviews have been lukewarm. The film has notched a 30% positive rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have been mixed, with some hailing it as “very funny” to others calling it a “bumpy, unpleasant trip.”

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