Hotel Transylvania 2 - directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
Starring: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Fran Drescher, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Dana Carvey, Rob Riggle, Mel Brooks
Running Time: 89 minutes
Rated: PG - Violence
The first Hotel Transylvania movie raked in more than $350,000,000 so it is no surprise to see a sequel inbound.
Part two sees the return of director Genndy Tartakovsky and one of the writers of the first film.
Adam Sandler takes a co-writing credit on this one so I would imagine that is either a boon or a curse depending on how big a Sandler fan you are.
I suspect the numbers are dwindling for that group based on his recent box office performance.
This one follows pretty soon after the first film and sees Dracula's daughter Mavis marrying human boy Jonathan.
A baby follows pretty quickly.
This raises the question of what the boy will be - vampire? Human? Bit of both?
On a side note I find it curious that Dracula should frown and then interfere with the kiss-the-bride part of the ceremony insisting that the quickest of pecks is the only acceptable display but a few short minutes of screen time later he is delighted to find Mavis pregnant.
What does he imagine happened to bring this result?!
There is no doubt at all that this movie is aimed squarely at kids.
We are well past the time that this is an odd observation - animated movies for some time have been very good at providing entertainment for all ages.
Subtle use of jokes that will hit the older viewer without causing too many questions from the younger ones combined with PG friendly issues and spectacular visuals have meant that it is no longer a chore to attend animated films for those above the age of 10.
But in the case of "Hotel Transylvania 2" few of these things apply.
The humour is definitely pitched squarely at the younger viewer with nothing at all that will raise more than a smile from parents.
I struggled to give more than a very muffled giggle for the entire movie.
Relying squarely on character based sight gags like a werewolf tennis instructor who can't resist chasing the ball this film operates purely on one level.
By loading the script with so many characters there is plenty of scope to follow this method through and writers Sandler and Robert Smigel milk it for all it's worth without actually being very successful.
There are some fairly good visual touches here and there but this is left foundering in the wake of its contemporaries when it comes to genuinely clever screenwriting or indeed visual prowess.
There is more imagination in any single scene from "Inside Out" or "Minions" than the entirety of "Hotel Transylvania 2".
But clearly I am not the target audience and a box office taking to date of $317,000,000 would indicate that those who are are finding plenty to enjoy.
For me I had to dig deep to find things to enjoy.
I liked the cast generally but the appeal in this aspect was more in recognising the voices than anything that their characters said.
Best of the crop is Steve Buscemi as Wade the werewolf.
Mel Brooks, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Fran Drescher, Rob Riggle and David Spade are required to inject nothing of their own unique talents beyond competently delivering some pretty ordinary dialogue.
Visually the film is perfectly fine without being at all impressive.
It pales in comparison to all but a few of the animated films of the last five years.
Genndy Tartakovsky is a talented guy as evidenced by his work on the likes of Samurai Jack and the excellent Star Wars Clone Wars animated series.
He seems to be coasting here.
Occasionally there is an interesting shot or an imaginative set piece but on the whole this is a flat affair.
I saw a 2D preview so perhaps 3D adds something but I usually find this not to be the case.
The first film cost $85,000,000 and I would imagine the sequel is in the same area so it isn't a lack of funding that results in the lifelessness (no pun intended).
This counts as one of the least enjoyable animated flicks that I have seen in recent years.
Even though I was disappointed in "Minions" it was born of high expectations based on the Despicable Me movies and it is still a very good movie.
Animation has always afforded a unique way of telling stories and it is a shame to see it squandered like this.
I barely laughed, I was rarely impressed with the images on screen and the story was predictable.
There are similar themes explored in "Brave", "Inside Out" and "Despicable Me 2" but where they rise to the challenge (well, maybe not Brave) and deliver smart scripts that stay firmly on theme "Hotel Transylvania" is purely pedestrian.
It flirts with the idea of accepting people/monsters for who they are but it handles it very clumsily.
Definitely only for the very young viewer then and who knows- maybe they will love it.
Oh, and incredibly the product placement from Sony in this film is ridiculous.
RATING: 64/ 100
CONCLUSION: Dull and lacking humour this still feels overlong at 89 minutes.
Running Time: 89 minutes
Rated: PG - Violence
The first Hotel Transylvania movie raked in more than $350,000,000 so it is no surprise to see a sequel inbound.
Part two sees the return of director Genndy Tartakovsky and one of the writers of the first film.
Adam Sandler takes a co-writing credit on this one so I would imagine that is either a boon or a curse depending on how big a Sandler fan you are.
I suspect the numbers are dwindling for that group based on his recent box office performance.
This one follows pretty soon after the first film and sees Dracula's daughter Mavis marrying human boy Jonathan.
A baby follows pretty quickly.
This raises the question of what the boy will be - vampire? Human? Bit of both?
On a side note I find it curious that Dracula should frown and then interfere with the kiss-the-bride part of the ceremony insisting that the quickest of pecks is the only acceptable display but a few short minutes of screen time later he is delighted to find Mavis pregnant.
What does he imagine happened to bring this result?!
There is no doubt at all that this movie is aimed squarely at kids.
We are well past the time that this is an odd observation - animated movies for some time have been very good at providing entertainment for all ages.
Subtle use of jokes that will hit the older viewer without causing too many questions from the younger ones combined with PG friendly issues and spectacular visuals have meant that it is no longer a chore to attend animated films for those above the age of 10.
But in the case of "Hotel Transylvania 2" few of these things apply.
The humour is definitely pitched squarely at the younger viewer with nothing at all that will raise more than a smile from parents.
I struggled to give more than a very muffled giggle for the entire movie.
Relying squarely on character based sight gags like a werewolf tennis instructor who can't resist chasing the ball this film operates purely on one level.
By loading the script with so many characters there is plenty of scope to follow this method through and writers Sandler and Robert Smigel milk it for all it's worth without actually being very successful.
There are some fairly good visual touches here and there but this is left foundering in the wake of its contemporaries when it comes to genuinely clever screenwriting or indeed visual prowess.
There is more imagination in any single scene from "Inside Out" or "Minions" than the entirety of "Hotel Transylvania 2".
But clearly I am not the target audience and a box office taking to date of $317,000,000 would indicate that those who are are finding plenty to enjoy.
 |
| A battalion of familiar names voice the numerous characters |
I liked the cast generally but the appeal in this aspect was more in recognising the voices than anything that their characters said.
Best of the crop is Steve Buscemi as Wade the werewolf.
Mel Brooks, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Fran Drescher, Rob Riggle and David Spade are required to inject nothing of their own unique talents beyond competently delivering some pretty ordinary dialogue.
Visually the film is perfectly fine without being at all impressive.
It pales in comparison to all but a few of the animated films of the last five years.
Genndy Tartakovsky is a talented guy as evidenced by his work on the likes of Samurai Jack and the excellent Star Wars Clone Wars animated series.
He seems to be coasting here.
Occasionally there is an interesting shot or an imaginative set piece but on the whole this is a flat affair.
I saw a 2D preview so perhaps 3D adds something but I usually find this not to be the case.
The first film cost $85,000,000 and I would imagine the sequel is in the same area so it isn't a lack of funding that results in the lifelessness (no pun intended).
This counts as one of the least enjoyable animated flicks that I have seen in recent years.
Even though I was disappointed in "Minions" it was born of high expectations based on the Despicable Me movies and it is still a very good movie.
Animation has always afforded a unique way of telling stories and it is a shame to see it squandered like this.
I barely laughed, I was rarely impressed with the images on screen and the story was predictable.
There are similar themes explored in "Brave", "Inside Out" and "Despicable Me 2" but where they rise to the challenge (well, maybe not Brave) and deliver smart scripts that stay firmly on theme "Hotel Transylvania" is purely pedestrian.
It flirts with the idea of accepting people/monsters for who they are but it handles it very clumsily.
Definitely only for the very young viewer then and who knows- maybe they will love it.
Oh, and incredibly the product placement from Sony in this film is ridiculous.
No comments:
Post a Comment