This is one of the most enjoyable animated films I've ever seen. It's incredibly charming, creative, talented, and a total blast.
The animation is the first thing to talk about, because Doug Walker nailed it right on the head: it's amazing. The animation has boundless rapid energy, fluid and snappy motion, great character designs, and wonderful atmosphere. The animation out-Averys most Tex Avery cartoons, but still has the restraint needed for more quiet, emotional scenes.
The voice cast is also surprisingly good. Sandler is actually a fantastic Dracula, with great timing and delivery. Methinks he's better on someone else's scripts. Selena Gomez is also really good as his daughter, Mavis, and has her own charm and feels fully realized despite her comparatively small screentime. Andy Samberg is good as Johnny, too, and the bit parts are also well played.
The plot is fairly simple, but not in a way that feels cut-and-paste or condescending. It's very very funny yet also heartfelt and sweet, and every character is both charming and flawed, and the relationships between them capture a very charming realism that feels almost like you're watching a group of your own friends and family. It's certainly not a Pixar film, but it's still a good story.
The comedy is rapid-fire, varied, and consistently hilarious. It's definitely one of the funniest movies I've seen, and there are so many terrific twists on the monster characters and scenery that are just brilliant. The animation and the voices mesh perfectly together and sell every joke.
(Yeah, the ending does feel a bit like a corporate order, but they managed to squeeze in the rest of the film's charm, so it's tolerable.)
In short, watch this movie. It's full of laughs and fueled by a lot of heart, and is a great watch on Halloween or any other time of the year.
Wacky monster comedy with Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez = gold?
This is one of the most enjoyable animated films I've ever seen. It's incredibly charming, creative, talented, and a total blast.
The animation is the first thing to talk about, because Doug Walker nailed it right on the head: it's amazing. The animation has boundless rapid energy, fluid and snappy motion, great character designs, and wonderful atmosphere. The animation out-Averys most Tex Avery cartoons, but still has the restraint needed for more quiet, emotional scenes.
The voice cast is also surprisingly good. Sandler is actually a fantastic Dracula, with great timing and delivery. Methinks he's better on someone else's scripts. Selena Gomez is also really good as his daughter, Mavis, and has her own charm and feels fully realized despite her comparatively small screentime. Andy Samberg is good as Johnny, too, and the bit parts are also well played.
The plot is fairly simple, but not in a way that feels cut-and-paste or condescending. It's very very funny yet also heartfelt and sweet, and every character is both charming and flawed, and the relationships between them capture a very charming realism that feels almost like you're watching a group of your own friends and family. It's certainly not a Pixar film, but it's still a good story.
The comedy is rapid-fire, varied, and consistently hilarious. It's definitely one of the funniest movies I've seen, and there are so many terrific twists on the monster characters and scenery that are just brilliant. The animation and the voices mesh perfectly together and sell every joke.
(Yeah, the ending does feel a bit like a corporate order, but they managed to squeeze in the rest of the film's charm, so it's tolerable.)
In short, watch this movie. It's full of laughs and fueled by a lot of heart, and is a great watch on Halloween or any other time of the year.