They’re creepy and they’re kooky.
Mysterious and spooky.
That’s right, they’re the delightfully dreadful Addams family. *snap* *snap*
The Addams Family was originally created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. The characters are a satire on the ideal 20th century American family. For those unfamiliar with the Addams, they’re a macabre household who the general public find strange and unusual. Usually dressed in all black and associated with all things creepy, mysterious, spooky – Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, and Thing star in an all new CG animated movie.
To many weirdos like myself, the ’90s films starring Angelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, and Jimmy Workman are cult classics. They’re so iconic that the idea of a remake/reboot is almost unfathomable. After seeing the trailer for the new animated film, I was one of the people who were turned off by the unusual art style. That was, of course, until I learned that the character designs were based on the original comic illustrations. And I’m all for authenticity and staying true to one’s origins, which is exactly what the The Addams Family is all about.
At the start of the The Addams Family (2019), Morticia are Gomez are happily wed in front of their entire family, and then are immediately chased out of town for being “freaks.” So they flee to New Jersey where they find a charming abandoned insane asylum that they decide to call home, and where they live peacefully for the next 13 years, with the addition of their children Wednesday and Pugsley.
The Addams mansion just so happens to sit atop a hill that overlooks the picturesque town of Assimilation, a bright and colorful suburban neighborhood where the Addams don’t exactly blend in. Margaux Needler, the film’s antagonist, is the TV host of a reality home makeover show who wants to renovate the Addams home to blend in with the rest of the town. Unfortunately, the Addams don’t share her vision.
Meanwhile, Wednesday becomes intrigued by life outside of the gates of their creepy and cozy home, and decides to attend public school after being “cage-schooled” her entire life. She makes her first friend and experiences being around “normal” people for the first time, which Morticia, who has plenty of experience being rejected and chased out of town by the general public, severely disapproves of.
The Addams are also preparing for Pugsley’s Mazurka, a ceremonial rite of passage for every Addams, and a reunion for the rest of the Addams family. However, despite his best efforts, Pugsley isn’t as coordinated or skilled as Gomez or Uncle Fester, and he’s unable to complete the ceremony.
When the citizens of Assimilation attack the Addams’ home in an attempt to drive them out of town for not conforming, it gives Pugsley the chance to prove himself as an Addams, not by an antiquated ceremonial performance, but by staying true to himself and defending his home and his family with his personal expertise in explosives.
The citizens of Assimilation eventually come to realize that the Addams aren’t monsters, they’re people who have just as much right to live their lives how they please. Just because they look and act differently from everyone else doesn’t mean they deserve to be vilified and treated like monsters.
Everyone is weird in their own way. What someone finds absolutely wonderful, another might find absolutely dreadful, and neither are right or wrong. I was hesitant walking into the theater, expecting to be disappointed by one thing or another, but found the movie to be an enjoyable experience.
I appreciated the fun, cartoony animation, the representation of the macabre, the dark and twisted humor, Wednesday’s braid nooses, Lurch and Thing’s organ playing, and the contrast between the Addams and Assimilation. I was surprised by the amount of cynical and dark humor woven into the PG film. The Addams Family succeeds in entertaining and teaching its audience about diversity and acceptance and how to “Embrace the difference in every family.”
Voiced by Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, and Allison Janney, The Addams Family provides an adequate introduction of this iconic family to a new generation.
The Addams Family was released on October 11, 2019, just in time for #spookyszn, with a runtime of 87 minutes. And how dreadful – a sequel has already been announced.
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