The Addams Family Movie Review

“The Addams Family” started out as the bizarre hand-drawn comic stylings of creator Charles Addams (in the 1930’s). It was later turned into a TV show, and then still later it became the basis of a couple of movies. So, it is only right and fitting that is now once again an animated comic movie (but it lost the ‘hand-drawn’ aspect). Based on the unusual characters that have become like a collection of weird distant relatives, the Addams group of macabre freaks are a part of the American landscape for years. So, it is nice to welcome them all back for this new animated comedy movie.

After getting married in the Old Country – Gomez Addams (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia Addams (Charlize Theron) move to a distant, dark and dreary land – New Jersey. They happen upon an old abandoned haunted mansion and find a nearby friendly servant named Lurch. Soon, these two lovebirds have created a wonderful family, with daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) and a son named Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard). The family has an entire horde of extended family coming into town very soon. Pugsley is required to do a ritualistic sword dance to prove he can ‘protect the family’. Wednesday is becoming more and more depressed about never leaving the family grounds and seeing anything around them. Oh yeah, they also have a visit from Uncle Fenster (Nick Kroll).

Just outside the foggy curtain is a small town of shiny, happy people. They are in a place called ‘Assimilation’, the place where Resistance is Futile. This is the well-manicured brainchild of Margaux Needler (Allison Janney). She is a TV super ‘home makeover” specialist with an over-sized ego (and over-sized hair to match). She is concerned with her ratings and her creepy Village of Sameness. She ignores her own daughter, Parker (Elsie Fisher). Wednesday and Parker meet, and the pair get along because they are so opposite. Oh yeah, they also have a visit from Gomez’s mother (Bette Midler).

Margaux has designs on the creepy and spooky – mysterious and ookie old mansion. If she can pull that off, she will be world-famous. If the Addams family rejects her offer, she will raise the ire of the local sheep – she meant – townsfolk, who will charge the gates and force out the weirdos. The extended Addams clan all arrive, and the town looks like a bad night out at Horror-Com. Morticia knows that there people out to get her, and that Wednesday and Parker might be missing. The stakes are high, and all the vampires run in fear. Oh yeah, they also have a visit from Cousin Itt (Snoop Dogg).

Worry not, lest your non-beating heart be troubled. This is a fun and frolic type of movie, not a doom-and-gloom type of movie. Everyone is here to “Make Addams Family Ghoulish Again. The scary part is toned down, so that is safe for younger audience consumption. This is more fun than a Transylvanian Hotel, in any case. The voice cast is top-notch. Chloë Grace Moretz is super droll and sarcastic, which is perfect. Allison Janney creates a crazy off-kilter character who is someone that the Family all comes together to defeat. The character design and the landscapes and interiors are what you would think would be in the Addams Family home. It is very enjoyable romp down the updated memory lane.

“The Addams Family” will be a perfect Halloween confection, more sugar than substance. But go see it, and don’t be left in the Lurch! See it with your little boys and ghouls..