REVIEW: The Addams Family 2 is Less About Family & More About Wednesday
Our favorite spooky family, the Addams Family is back in The Addams Family 2 the sequel to 2019’s The Addams Family. In this new installment, the focus is on the eldest child, Wednesday Addams (voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz). On the surface, the plot seems solid, the family patriarch Gomez (Oscar Isaac) wants to connect with his daughter, Wednesday. He suggests heading out on a family road trip in hopes of re-sparking the connection; like typical Addams Family adventures, their road trip is filled with several bumps and mishaps and one major issue that could change their family forever.
I loved the idea of this movie, but the execution fell below my expectations. This kooky family hitting the road and showcasing their eccentricities in different places all over the United States is filled with potential. That isn’t what you get with this film. The film’s sole focus on Wednesday distracted too much from the rest of the family. One of the great things about The Addams Family is the entire family, and all their special traits, has equal involvement in the plot. Whether it be Pugsley blowing something up or Uncle Fester just being well, Uncle Fester, they are all in it as a collective group. Pugsley does blow stuff up and Uncle Fester is super weird in this one, but it was done to continue pushing Wednesday’s story rather than the whole family’s story.
Isaac and Charlize Theron, once again, steal the show as Gomez and Morticia Addams. These two were the perfect voice casting for the Addams Family parents in 2019 and continue to bring a lot of fun to these characters in the sequel. Moretz returns as Wednesday and manages to keep the audience entertained with her monotone approach to Wednesday while Javon Walton stepped in to take over the role of Pugsley from Finn Wolfhard, who voiced the character in the 2019 movie. Diehard Wolfhard fans will notice the difference in voices, but Walton manages to bring his own, fun interpretation to the character.
Fans of Snoop Dogg’s Cousin It will not be disappointed by his appearance in this movie as he sees more screen time this time around. Bette Midler returns as Grandmama Addams but is not in the movie enough for my liking. Conrad Vernon returns as Lurch and has more of role this time around, but doesn’t have anything new to say.
Fans of The Addams Family will find something to like about this movie, it just isn’t as good as other Addams Family movies or TV shows. A sequel to the 2019 movie was not necessary and if one was wanted, it should have been released directly to DVD or streaming. I would recommend waiting until this hits streaming or cable to check it out.
Grade: C