I was very skeptical about the adaptation of this brand. I happened to watch over a dozen episodes of the cartoon, I remember quite well its characters and Polish dubbing, but I have never been a fan of this family. I had time off, there was nothing to watch, I thought about the list of movies my friends had recommended to me, and then I chose "The Addams Family". A friend of Kuba praised the film on Facebook, so I decided to trust his taste, which I do not regret at all. If I were to include my opinion in two sentences, then ... I felt as if I was watching one special episode of the series, extended on the occasion of an anniversary. There were a lot of jokes that reminded me of cartoon passages with the same vibe.
The plot is simple. Here is a family that ... Hmm, "stands out" from the rest and looks for a quiet place to live after they were chased away by an angry crowd armed with pitchforks and torches. In the end, they find their dream nest in New Jersey, a house on a hill abandoned by people, where a monster resides who like to shout loudly. Initially, both New Jersey citizens and themselves live peacefully, but at some point they leave their residence and despite good intentions on their part, there are several quarrels with the "normal" residents of the city. These might not end with such a far-reaching dislike, but the presence of a ghastly family disturbed the stubborn woman who decided to heat her emotions with social media.
Normally, I would probably complain about its over-simplicity, but this cartoon doesn't need an elaborate script. I don't know many incarnations of this family, but I don't recall it ever having a complicated plot. From what I read a few years ago about the genesis of this brand, its creator (Charles Addams) wanted to show a contrast between an ordinary family and people who did not conform to generally accepted standards by a given community. I don't know what the perception of such people was in the 1940s and 1950s, but I don't think it has changed. Most people by their very nature fear being too much different. It does not necessarily mean reluctance towards newcomers to the area, it also applies to different units that are part of the local community. This problem may not apply to every town or village, but I think each of us has seen or at least heard of outstanding inhabitants. If not through friends, then through the media. I like the message of this video. It is true that it is quite a trivial truism, but many people forget about it, and even if they remember it, they are reluctant to consistently implement it. Each of us is different in our own way, each of us has a hobby that is criticized by society or carefully hidden by us. It is worth helping each other and not paying attention to other people's differences, as long as people do not overly impose themselves on them.
When it comes to humor, it was fun. Most of the jokes laughed effortlessly, I don't recall any gag being embarrassing or cringe. I laughed very loudly about twice. Quite a good result, considering my reluctance to have humor that has been accompanying "The Addams Family" for at least a dozen years. When I was a kid and a teenager, these jokes were completely incomprehensible to me and did not make me laugh at all. Today I love absurd scenes and a sense of humor based on nonsense and nonsense. Pugsley and his sisters' games with Uncle Fester, or a father-son fight, made me smile involuntarily. My favorite part is when u Wednesday rebels against her family's rules and partially adjusts to her surroundings. It was funny in contrast to her friend who did the same, but the other way around - from a neat and well-mannered girl, she became an emo rebel. Now, when I'm 30, it makes me laugh twice. I'm slowly starting to think like an adult, so I understand my mother's perspective, but I have not forgotten how it was a dozen or so years when my personality was shaped and my parents did not recognize me sometimes.
As for the audiovisual value, the movie looks pretty good, the animation is ok too, but don't be set on any high level. I had a few negative opinions about the appearance of Wednesday and a few other characters, but during the screening I saw no reason to complain. However, this may be because I have never been a fan of cartoons, series or movies. The opposite was true for voice actors who were well matched, at least for the main family members. Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron and Chloe Moretz perfectly impersonate the personalities of Gomez, Morticia and Wednesday. Especially Charlize Theron, I could only watch a movie with her participation as she talks about anything, she works with her voice amazingly! Uncle Fester or Grandma could be better, but they are of sufficient level that I am not complaining.
I rate this movie strong +7/10, can't wait for the sequel, and hope Covid-19 won't postpone this release. It would also be nice if there was a version without Polish dubbing, which may be impossible due to the fact that there are less and less such screenings in Polish cinemas. Well, at worst you will have to wait for VOD.
