‘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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