The Addams Family

The marketing and promotion team for the new animated Addams Family, including pushing Addams-themed pancakes and other menu items at IHOP, has been propagandizing the new film as the Addams’ “first ever animated comedy” when that’s not exactly accurate. Some may remember the short-lived Addams Family cartoons in 1973 and then again in 1991, not to mention an appearance on Scooby-Doo in the late ’70s. But its animated origins came much earlier in the form of a New Yorker comic strip that ran in the 1930s by cartoonist Charles Addams (thus the Addams name). The new Addams Family animated feature length movie doesn’t suck by any means, but it’s not that great either. It’s just okay, kind of like how an Adam Sandler movie is just watchable/okay… well, most of the time. It’s like hanging out with a Spencer’s Gifts/Hot Topic employee that grew up in a nice home, but pretends to be dark because they like to dress like a ridiculous cyber-goth, which can be entertaining, or not, depending on your mood. The new version is pretty heavy-handed, forced, and over-thought-out in the jokes department, with Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester probably being the worst of the animated voices, although Snoop Dog cast as Cousin Itt is basically pointless. Having said that though, the movie is well animated and cute, just not a must-see right away. Wait and stream it next Halloween for free.

[PG]