The Addams Family have a self-reserved special place in popular culture as the Gothic macabre family comedy. With a profound influence on comics and Gothic subculture, just hearing the name already evokes a plethora of tropes and associations unique to the family. To sum up the fascinating shtick, a satirical inversion of the ideal family finds moments of oddly endearing sweetness in their one-of-a-kind psychopathic dynamic. So how well does this translate as a children’s animation?

The movie forces itself in contradictory directions which requires a betrayal of the source material in order to progress

It doesn’t. Though I have to admit that the concept of The Addams Family as a cheesy 3D animation is an interesting thought, I also admit that it should have remained a thought. The Addams Family typically finds success by taking the timelessness of the Gothic and blending it into a fun family comedy. However, in this case judging by the over-pouring of childish puns, which did not even make the children in my cinema laugh, the filmmakers disregarded or failed to address the adult parents in the cinema and catered the film more towards children. The movie forces itself in contradictory directions which requires a betrayal of the source material in order to progress. And, it does not have the guts to go all the way! Its black comedy, instead of being completely exchanged for immature fart humour, is compromised, making both sides feel very out of place even if the jokes are hilarious. For the most part, the jokes lacked substance because much of the humour verging towards adult is removed. Ongoing jokes become stale almost immediately.

Next, the presentation of the characters is more than questionable. Uncle Fester is straight-up horribly cringey and whenever he is onscreen, it is painful. Most of the creepy charm and obsessive love between Morticia and Gomez is lost. Cousin It, Thing and Grandmama are thrown in without any real function simply because they have to complete the roster. On the other hand, they at least did Wednesday great. Her scenes are dark, hysterical and entertaining. Best of all, her characterisation stays true. She isn’t enough to redeem this movie however, and I still believe that she is underused. I feel most of the audience would agree with me when I say that she is often the highlight of The Addams Family throughout the different adaptations.

The sombre, melancholic and claustrophobic spaces of The Addams Family home consistently bleed with detail and personality

Moreover, the execution was definitely something else in contrast to the rest of the film. The animation quality was impressive, sound usage was superb, and the cinematography was excellent. The way the Addams family move, look, and feel, is purposeful, and I loved the attention to detail from Morticia Addams having her octopus-like dress to Wednesday’s hair, being plaited in a noose. The caricature designs and movement animations help to establish individual personalities, strike differences and demonstrate even subtle changes in mood. The animation accomplishes a preference for the gothic settings. Bright, vibrant and open environments are depicted as over-saturated, artificial and callously unalive, whereas the sombre, melancholic and claustrophobic spaces of the Addams Family home consistently bleed with detail and personality. In spite of Morticia Addams being as still as a corpse, the animators found a way to make her a very nuanced character. From the slightest eyebrows raises to cold dead stares and minor head turns, it is amazing to see so little illustrate so much. Similarly, its horror encounters were able to draw out as much tension and drama as possible.

Morticia Adams made a fine protagonist, however, there are times where the movie has a loose grip on its main character

Furthermore, sound serves several great purposes throughout the film. Meaning is aurally expressed through two main avenues: an organ that uses minor chords for uniform pieces and acoustic instruments playing frivolous melodies comprising of major chords. The way these two main branches of sound interact with each other over the course of the film, as characters clash and arcs are fulfilled, is eloquent. Moreover, the focus and framing are successful in making us feel tense, loose, mystified, dazed or at ease only then to hit us with a surprise. Angled shots to depict powerful and weak, tilted shots for crooked and stable, drifting camera movements and transitions that give the pace a rhythmic flow, all underpinned with decent editing.

The overarching plot is good. The script is alright. Morticia Addams made a fine protagonist, however, there are times where the movie has a loose grip on its main character. It has a pleasant message that only felt a little forced. The Addams Family is one of the strangest things I have ever reviewed. While I praise the animation, sound and cinematography, when accessed for how well it delights its target audience, it is incredibly poor. Unfortunately, due to the premise the film was destined to fail.

Verdict

If you want a good children’s film, you are better off watching The Emoji Movie. If you are curious to see how The Addams Family translates to animation, are a fan of the genre, or don’t expect anything better than what the trailer suggests, then you will get what you expect, nothing more.

5/10

The Addams Family is in cinemas now.

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