The Addams Family 2 (2021)

The Addams Family 2 (2021)

 

3/10

Starring the voices of

Oscar Isaac

Charlize Theron

Chloë Grace Moretz

Nick Kroll

 

Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon

 

When the creepy, kooky Addams family gets together with the hope of delivering some entertainment, you should be wary. The glory days of the Addams family are long gone, and the first animated movie (The Addams Family (2019)) was, in my opinion, just a flash in the pan. At first, it felt like they’d found a way to bring back something nostalgic with a fresh twist, but this second CG animated movie proves that the franchise should go back into retirement.

This sequel manages to highlight everything wrong with the first movie while leaving out the excitement and fun. Imagine a family-themed animation that doesn’t give you a single reason to laugh. There’s no point in creating a sequel with a script that wastes so much time dragging us to an ending that feels completely inevitable.

Wednesday Addams feels like she doesn’t belong. You know that phase every kid goes through where you wish you were born into another family? It’s a relatable concept for teenagers and adults alike. But instead of making this a heartfelt or humorous journey, the movie marinates this familiar premise with unfunny incidents and parents trying far too hard to be irresponsibly quirky.

How the writers managed to stretch this plot for over an hour is beyond me. If there were an award for an animation that drags unnecessarily, this movie would win hands down. It could have been wrapped up in 20 minutes. Instead, Gomez and Morticia avoid facing the reality that Wednesday might not be their biological child and distract us with an unnecessary road trip.

The Addams family, as we know, is never lacking in resources. Wednesday already had access to all the gadgets she needed, and they clearly have enough money to handle this situation differently. You might think I’m overanalyzing, but the problem is that Gomez’s road trip plan to avoid a DNA test eventually ends with a DNA test anyway (which, admittedly, has some surprises). Watching this pointless delay tactic was just frustrating.

The charm of the Addams family lies in their interactions with the outside world. But here, those interactions fall flat and fail to bring out the best in the characters. The dynamic that made the first movie somewhat enjoyable is completely missing. Instead, we’re left with a too-Addams Addams family—awkwardly navigating a world that doesn’t suit them. At least in the first movie, I appreciated their attempts to blend in with the people around them. In this one, they just annoyed me.

The movie opens with the false promise of something interesting: Wednesday getting upset about children being handed participation trophies, which she feels undermine meaningful competition. At a school science fair, Wednesday’s brilliance shines as she merges the DNA of a smart octopus with that of her Uncle Fester. This catches the eye of Dr. Strange, the fair’s sponsor, who wants her creation for himself. But Wednesday refuses to share, leading him to devise a scheme to get what he wants.

This subplot ties into the larger storyline about Wednesday questioning whether she’s truly an Addams. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game that goes absolutely nowhere fun.

In the end, this movie misses the mark entirely. The jokes fall flat, the pacing drags, and the charm of the Addams family is lost. If you’re hoping for the nostalgic wit and humor of the original franchise, this sequel isn’t it.