Film Review – Hotel Transylvania 2
2 min read
Dracula and his pack are back to create havoc in Adam Sandler’s second instalment of kooky monsters, Hotel Transylvania 2.
In the world of Transylvania, seven years have passed and the hotel has now opened to human guests. After falling in love, Mavis (Selena Gomez) and Johnny (Andy Samberg) are now married and have a young half human, half vampire son, Dennis. Worried about his daughter leaving permanently as well as the lack of his grandchild’s supernatural abilities, Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) enlists the help of his friends to teach Dennis, but a visit from Dracula’s father, human-hating Vlad (Mel Brooks) creates havoc in the hotel.
The follow up to Genndy Tartakovky’s 2012 hit film focuses on Dracula’s everlasting fears of change and differences – worrying about his daughter’s marriage to a human and their potential move to the human world, his grandson’s slow development into vampirism and his own father’s arrival. Hotel Transylvania 2 shows Dracula’s anxiety and further displays his growth as a leader and a father, as well as a new grandfather.
After a series of box-office failures (Grown Ups 2, Blended, Pixels), Sandler finally takes one home with this highly anticipated sequel. Hotel Transylvania 2 is tolerable at the least, especially for adults, with its loveable and goofy characters that provide comedic performances. It helps that the ensemble cast consists of prominent comedy actors such as Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi and new addition Keegan-Michael Key. Both new and returning characters energise their undead characters and create funny, entertaining situations. Surprisingly, its premise feels realistic as it deals with familial issues, an element enough to hopefully draw parents and their kids.
Fortunately for the franchise, the distinction is apparent from the latest animated films with its supernatural themes. The film also deals with real-life situations of discrimination and prejudice, but in this case, the humans are the minority; Vlad’s old-fashioned ways and extreme dislike for the living and Johnny’s parents for the undead. It’s further enhanced by the witty characters that each have their own supporting storylines. However, the film is left at a subpar level with its adequate animation. That said, though Hotel Transylvania 2 may not be the best animated movie this year, it can still bring magic and wonder to children alike.
