Hotel Transylvania 2

Thanks to director and veteran animator Genndy Tartakovski (best known for creating Cartoon Network shows like Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Sym-Bionic Titan), Hotel Transylvania 2 is a joy to watch.  His artstyle is in the classic animation method of exaggeration, allowing his characters' bodies to bend and snap back at a moment's notice.  And instead of showing a character run from one side of the room to the next, they just zip over in a streaking blur.  This was a method Chuck Jones liked to employ in the old Looney Tunes shorts to keep the pacing of the cartoon faster.  Tartakovski has studied this classic style well, and it's quite fascinating to see this style represented in CG.  When so many studios are going for photo realistic artwork and settings, he is not afraid to embrace the old traditions of animation.

But how is the movie itself?  Much to my surprise, I think I liked this one a little bit more than the original film from 2012.  It's faster, tighter paced, and I laughed more.  The first movie hit a nerve with kids by understanding that children are fascinated by monsters.  It was a cute, but not exactly memorable, animated film that went on to become a surprise hit.  This sequel opens things up a little bit more, by allowing the monsters to interact with the human world.  I liked this idea, and I also liked how the filmmakers expand on the world of the monsters in this sequel.  There's an extended sequence where the characters visit a summer camp for vampire children that's kind of inspired in its satire.  The camp has become so overly safe and sanitized, and the counselors are so driven to not have anyone get hurt, that it takes on an absurdist quality.  Heck, this scene alone could inspire its own movie, as I think there are a lot of comedic possibilities surrounding a summer camp for vampires.

The plot, as expected, is merely a hook for which to hang a lot of visual gags, but it works well enough here.  As we rejoin concerned parent and monster hotel manager, Count Dracula (voice by Adam Sandler), he has given his blessing for his vampire daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) to marry her human lover, Jonathan (Andy Samberg).  Just one year later, the young couple give birth to their first son, Dennis (Asher Binkoff).  Dracula is a proud grandparent, but as young Dennis approaches the age of five, he becomes concerned that the kid's fangs haven't grown in yet.  There is talk that Dennis may actually take after his dad and be a human, rather than a vampire.  Getting desperate, Dracula sends Mavis and Jonathan off to California in order to spend time with Jonathan's parents, who have never been comfortable with the idea of their son marrying a monster.  While they are gone, Dracula heads out with his friends the Frankenstein's Monster (Kevin James), Wayne the Wolfman (Steve Buscemi), Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade) and Murray the Mummy (Keegan-Michael Key, stepping in for CeeLo Green from the first film) in order to help Dennis become a monster.

At its core, Hotel Transylvania 2 is not far removed from many of Sandler's live action films.  It serves mostly as an excuse for him and a lot of his acting friends to be silly and have a good time.  The difference here is in the screenplay, which is credited to Sandler and Robert Smigel.  Unlike a lot of his recent live action output, the gags actually work most of the time, and the chemistry between the actors is genuine, and it doesn't feel like everyone's cashing a paycheck.  Just two months ago, in my review of Sandler's summer misfire, Pixels, I commented on how he looked deflated and lifeless up there on the screen.  But here as the cartoon Dracula, not only does he get laughs, he manages to build a fairly well-rounded performance as well.  This voice over performance may be some of his best work in years, and I mean that in the best way.

The supporting monsters get some good moments, too.  I liked the chemistry between Sandler, James, Buscemi, Spade and Key in the central roles.  They work well off of each other, and each get at least one funny individual moment.  I especially enjoyed the running gag where Spade's Invisible Man character kept on trying to convince his friends that he had an invisible girlfriend with him at certain times.  The movie is really at its best when its just cutting loose and letting these actors play off each other.  When it tries to become plot-oriented during the last 20 minutes or so, the movie slows down, but not enough that it hurts the film.  The movie manages to be fast-paced, often funny, and I'm sure it will be an instant hit with young kids.  Most importantly, accompanying adults will find themselves laughing along with them at certain times.  There's even a refreshingly small amount of bodily fluid humor, which is kind of different for a Sandler production.

Compared to animated films like Inside Out or When Marnie Was There, Hotel Transylvania 2 is still fairly minor, but it's entertaining enough to stand out.  There was no doubt walking in that this movie was going to prove to be a big hit with kids.  But, walking out, I realized I enjoyed it a lot more than I had anticipated.  I wouldn't even mind seeing these characters again, as long as Tartakovski again brings his animation skills along.

See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!

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