‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ is better than the original
Adam Sandler’s Hotel Transylvania 2 picks up the story of Dracula, daughter Mavis and her now husband Jonathan. The couple has a child — Dennis — and doting Drac can’t wait for the kid to spout fangs.
But the boy may not be a vampire. Dad — as you remember — is human. That leads to mom and dad thinking that Hotel Transylvania might not be the best place to raise him.
Most animated movies aim at young kids because of the creepy characters and the loads of slapstick. However, this — like the first — really isn’t aimed at kids. Sandler and the original’s co-writer Robert Smigel pack the film — as they did the first one — with dozens of gaffs, giggles and gags that adult fans of classic horror flicks will get and that will fly over the children’s heads.
Hotel Transylvania 2 is the rare animated sequel that is better, funnier and faster than the original. I laughed my butt off from the opening sequences through the third, but alas, boring act.
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Director: Genndy Tartakovsky
Stars: Adam Sandler, Adam Sandberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, Molly Shannon, Nick Offerman, Dana Carvey
Rated PG for mature themes. It’s playing at the Carmike 12, the Fairchild Cinemas 12 and at Walla Walla Grand Cinemas.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it’s your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on DVD.
2 stars to 1 star: Don’t bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ is better than the original."