‘The Addams Family’ review: Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac headline charming animated reboot about celebrating differences
The stellar cast, which includes Chloe Grace Moretz and Snoop Dogg, give this cartoon remake a spooky and spunky vibe
In the seemingly perfect town of Assimilation, residents must bury their feelings, slap on a fake smile, and most importantly, be exactly the same as each other. Sounds depressingly relatable, doesn’t it?
Thank goodness, then, for the Addams family, who live in a spooky mansion on the edge of town. Gross, morbid, and deeply disturbed, the Addams are the (literal) neighbours from hell – or are they exactly what this bland, artificial town needs?
In all-new animated form, Charles Addams’ infamous comic-strip family return once again to the big screen, and what an impression they make. The whole gang is here: parents Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron), children Wednesday (Chloe Moretz) and Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard), butler Lurch (Conrad Vernon), and whatever “Thing” is.
After being chased out of their hometown by angry pitchfork-wielding villagers (and on their wedding day, too) Gomez and Morticia begin a new life in a place where shady characters can go undetected: New Jersey.
Thirteen years and two kids later, and the Addamses still haven’t ventured beyond the safety of their manor house – that is, until they are discovered by the residents of Assimilation.
The town is being featured on a property makeover show presented by the brash, mommy blogger-esque Margaux, and she isn’t about to let the undesirable Addams family ruin the live finale. Of course, it just so happens that the Addamses are planning a big family reunion – with all kinds of odd-looking relatives arriving from out of town – on the very same day.
Needless to say, we’re rooting for our “bad guys” all the way. They may be unsightly, but the Addamses are cool. The means girls at school are no match for the evil genius of Wednesday Addams, and not even Margaux herself can resist the peculiar charms of Uncle Fester. With a catchy soundtrack and jokes that are actually pretty funny, this film could become an annual Halloween staple. Get ready to wish you lived next door to The Addams Family.