Hotel Transylvania 2 – Film Review
Genndy Tartakovsky’s sequel to his 2012 smash hit animated film Hotel Transylvania ups the ante on the laugh factor, and further develops the lovable characters introduced in the predecessor.
Mavis (voice of Selena Gomez) puts her vampire father Drac (voice of Adam Sandler) in charge of taking care of the newborn named Dennis (voice of Asher Blinkoff). However, Drac is unsure whether or not Dennis is a human being or a vampire, so him, and the rest of the crew back at Hotel Transylvania embark on a mission to determine the boy’s true form.
I liked the first Hotel Transylvania film a lot that was released back in 2012. I remember seeing it with a friend of mine, and being surprised by how witty the humor was, and how likeable the characters were. When I heard there was a sequel releasing once again directed by Tartakovsky, I was eager to see what he would do next with the series.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
Much like the original picture, Hotel Transylvania 2 is an exceptionally funny film that has a lot of heart to it. They never once go for lame and often annoying child humor, but instead deliver comedy that actually works with the characters involved. If a parent were to take their young child to see the animated feature, they may not even understand the majority of the jokes, but they certainly will understand lots. It is great to see a children’s film that adults can enjoy as well.
Also, the animation in the film is honestly stellar. Everything looks so great, and it is one of the more impressive looking animated films released in quite some time. The animation team clearly worked long and sleepless hours making some of the details really pop with this film and it shows.
The story was also one that I was decently interested in, and one that was not too complex to follow. It was an extremely easy watch, which is not always a bad thing, especially if its an animated film. I do think the first film’s story was a bit better, but Hotel Transylvania 2 did still interest me.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
The film also does feel just a little bit too short. Its official running time only clocks in at one hour and twenty nine minutes. The film would have greatly benefited from a slightly extended running time, and its pace would have been better as well.
Additionally, the ending of the film kind of bothered me. The entire film has a moral of the story situation, but during the final moments of Hotel Transylvania 2, the filmmaker’s literally betray the moral they set up during the film. It almost seemed like a deus ex machina.
Hotel Transylvania 2 is a fun and entertaining children’s film that has plenty of heart, and further explores its characters.
Overall Grade: B
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for some scary images, action and rude humor
Cast: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James
Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Running Time: 89 minutes