Charles Addams’ eccentric gothic family have been snapping those fingers and relishing all things creepy and kooky for a good 80-odd years now, and they remain a creation that feels quite right in our often sadly ignorant world. Of course, most know of the Addams’ from either their classic ‘60s ABC TV series or the beloved and perfectly casted ‘90s Barry Sonnenfeld films. Still, these recent animated films have been more inspired by Charles Addams’ original one-panel source material, especially in the character designs.
Despite this, Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan’s 2019 hit for Universal was a little different from the aforementioned but still a pleasant take on the iconic family. While their sequel is not quite as strong as the first film, the target audience will likely enjoy the ride nonetheless.
The film sees the brilliant if warped Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz) grow increasingly tired of her parents’ displays of affection while equally becoming irked by a society that refuses to allow her ideas to flourish. However, undeterred, her loving father Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and mother Morticia (Charlize Theron) decide to go on an Addams family road trip across America to mend this growing discord. All while being pursued by a lawyer who claims to have evidence of a potentially family-fracturing revelation.
The Addams Family 2 may irk some purists with its script’s forcibly modern twangs (you know the deal: inserted rap song here, celebrity name there and dance number here, etc.) and clearly sillier (rather than darker) gaze. And the aim is clearly towards the younger end of the market, as the story is rather all over the shop, but the film is high on energetic, animated set pieces to compensate.
That said, all that is here should be more than enough to keep the ghoul-loving kids happy, while the film also thankfully comes with a top voice cast uttering some nice macabre lines (Wednesday is, as ever, a joy) and a few well-animated sight gags for older viewers (horror fans keep an eye out for an Easter egg-filled road sign). Also, the film has hands down the greatest ever camper van in movie history… never a sentence we thought we’d write!
It may lean into Hotel Transylvania monster-mashing territories a bit too heavily at times (especially in the climax). The script (despite some deliciously black lines) could dare to tread darker with its comedy. However, for a family crowd, there is still enough to engage most ages here, with this madcap DNA-based story that sometimes feels a bit like an episode of the animated ‘90s Addams Family TV show (nostalgia for this writer).
Flaws notwithstanding, The Addams Family 2 carries enough unshakable energy to ensure that the spookiest family in pop culture remain just that and that there is nothing at all wrong with that, as the film rather warmly makes clear. Admittedly, not the family’s greatest cinematic outing (that remains the brilliant Addams Family Values), but neither is it their worst. The kids (and some adults too) will have a fun cinema trip here, in this kind-hearted and difference-celebrating latest offering from – ahem – “The Addams Family”…Da Da Da Dum *click *click…
The Addams Family 2 is in UK cinemas on October 8th
