The Addams Family
Starring: Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll
Directed By: Conrad Vernon, Greg Tiernan
Rated: PG
Just in time for Halloween, the creepy, kooky, and altogether ooky Addams Family returns to the screen yet again. After a 1960's TV series and two 1990's film adaptions, this time, they appear in animated form as Morticia and Gomez Addams prepare for their extended family to visit their home in Assimilation, New Jersey. Trouble strikes when TV renovation host Margaux Needler (Allison Janney) wants to boot the family from their mansion so every house can look the same in the community. Can the family keep their home?
There's nothing groundbreaking about this rebooted Addams Family adaption. Although it boasts an impressive voice cast, the jokes are all a little flat. The family does something macabre; then, the audience is supposed to be shocked and laugh. “Oh my gosh, they throw axes at each other! Isn’t that weird and HILARIOUS? They’re so different than other families!” Repeat jokes like that 20 times. The storyline is nothing new either as it stresses the importance of being your unique self without conforming to society. Being yourself is important, but this is a theme that’s been done frequently in animated movies lately. It's clear that children are the intended audience, but I'm not quite sure that they could handle watching this adaption. If I saw this movie as a kid, I would not sleep for weeks. Although this review is coming from someone who didn't sleep for two months after seeing E.T as a child. Just the mention of his name sent me screaming in sheer terror. Still gives me chills — that haunting alien. Maybe, kids these days are braver than I was. (Something was particularly creepy about E.T., though. I know people who agree with me on that.) Just be aware if you have a young child, there are scenes in this film that could be frightening.
The Addams Family isn't all bad; beneath the flat jokes, there are some fun and relevant pop culture references, including a bit about the horror movie IT, the Home and Garden Channel, and a social media website that looks a lot like Facebook. The animation also looks nice throughout the film. The world-building of the Addams Family mansion is creepy but well done. The contrast of the gothic mansion to the lively, colorful town just below it is a nice touch. The voice cast also brings a lot to the table with Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, and Chloë Grace Moretz being the particular standouts. (Nick Kroll’s Uncle Fester is grating to listen to though.) It is Wednesday Addams and her constant deadpan expression with the most entertaining storyline in the movie. She wants to know what's beyond the family mansion and go to school. The results lead to some of the funniest bits the movie has to offer.
Unfortunately, Wednesday and the voice cast cannot save The Addams Family from being just another generic animated movie. Although the film has some decent elements, it’s not anything groundbreaking. It turns out this spooky family didn’t need a reboot.
My Rating: 5/10