By John Corrado

★★ (out of 4)

The Addams Family 2 is a sequel to the 2019 animated movie, which attempted to revamp the classic characters for a new generation. But the film was somewhat of a forgettable disappointment, especially considering the potential behind doing an animated version of the original Charles Addams comic strips that inspired the 1960s TV series.

This sequel, once again directed by animation veterans Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, continues in a similar vein. It’s not actively bad, just kind of forgettable, and can’t hold a candle to the two perfectly good live action films from the 1990s that preceded it.

The film unfolds as a family road trip, with the Addams leaving their gothic mansion and visiting a number of American landmarks. Spurred on by the fear that his daughter Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz) is growing detached from the family, Gomez (Oscar Isaac) tries to set things right by heading across the country with his wife Morticia (Charlize Theron), son Pugsley (Javon Walton) and Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) for some good old family bonding time.

Playing into Wednesday’s search for belonging is the question of whether or not she is their real daughter, which provides the backbone for the film’s plot. The family is being pursued by a shifty lawyer (Wallace Shawn) who is after a DNA test, having been hired by someone who claims that Wednesday is not an Addams and actually their long lost daughter who got switched at birth. Oh, and there is also a strange body horror subplot involving human-animal chimeras and Uncle Fester turning into an octopus.

Without the need to spend time reintroducing its characters, The Addams Family 2 is a zanier and more fast-paced film than the first one, which is to this sequel’s benefit. There are some enjoyable moments of weirdness befitting of the franchise, but the film is held back by a thoroughly predictable plot. It builds to an overly busy climax, with a lacklustre script that is littered with awkward pop culture references (Gomez admits to being a Billie Eilish stan, because of course), and some cringey dialogue that tries too hard to sound hip.

There is some decent animation, including stylized character designs that closely match the original drawings in the comics, and the all-star voice cast does do fine work bringing them to life (though it is hard to overlook the missed opportunity of Isaac and Theron not taking on these roles in a live action film). It’s passable entertainment for the younger set, with a handful of mildly amusing moments for everyone else, but hardly the most memorable outing for this creepy and kooky family.

Bonus Features (Blu-ray):

The Blu-ray includes three short bonus featurettes. A regular DVD is also included in the package, which ships with an embossed slipcover.

• We’re Altogether Addams (8 minutes, 51 seconds): The cast members talk about their characters, and what drew them to the roles.

• Courage to Be Kooky (2 minutes, 41 seconds): Director Vernon and members of the cast talk about how the themes of family and accepting differences drew them to these characters.

• The Addams Family Road Trip Checklist (4 minutes, 4 seconds): A film-themed checklist of how to plan a road trip, from what to pack to snacks to make and games to play.

The Addams Family 2 is a Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release. It’s 93 minutes and rated PG.

Street Date: January 18th, 2022