Hotel Transylvania

Rating: 3/10 (4 October 2015)

I saw clips for this computer animated film during the time of its release on television, I guessed it would be popular with kids, and adults who enjoy seeing famous horror characters brought together, I decided to give it a try, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Dexter's Laboratory). Basically following the death of his wife Martha (Jackie Sandler, Adam's wife), at the hands of a mob of humans, Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) designs and builds a massive five-star hotel in Transylvania, to serve as a getaway for all the world's monsters, and a place to raise his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez). The hotel which is completely human-free and safe for monsters welcomes regular guests, such as Frankenstein's monster - Frank (Kevin James) and his wife Eunice (Fran Drescher), Wayne Werewolf (Steve Buscemi) and his wife Wanda (Molly Shannon) and their massive immediate family, Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade)and Murray the Mummy (Cee Lo Green). It is Mavis's 118th birthday, Dracula says she can leave the castle to explore the human world, but he has manipulated her to enter a specially built village to make her fear the real human world, Dracula has become too overprotective of his daughter. Things are about to change when a human, teenager Jonathan (Andy Samberg), is unintentionally lured into the hotel, Dracula frantically disguises him, introducing him as "Johnnystein", a distant cousin of Frank's right arm, to the other curious monsters. Dracula tries many different ways to get Johnny out of the hotel, but the teenager is not fearful of the monster world he has entered, he is in fact excited to explore it, the other monsters are delighted by his presence and up for lots of fun, especially as they plan for Mavis's birthday celebration, Dracula cannot help but like him as well. Mavis herself finds herself slowly falling for the young fake monster, Jonathan tells her fascinating stories about the real human world, she realises that her father being so overprotective tricked her, and the monsters do discover Jonathan's true human identity. In the end however, after some dastardly behaviour from hotel chef Quasimodo (Jon Lovitz), everything all works out, Jonathan and Mavis are reunited and share a kiss, and Dracula realises his girl is grown up and can make her own decisions, and everyone celebrates at the party. Also starring Brian George as Suit of Armor and Luenell Luenell as Shrunken Heads. Sandler doing the stereotypical Bela Lugosi impression is okay, Gomez is fine being feisty, Sandberg is likable as the young cool kid fitting into the crowd, and the supporting cast members get their moments too. The animation is terrific as the most famous movie monsters are brought together for a load of fun, the only problem is that the story of an overprotective father and a young person livening the place up has been done time after time, there are too many predictable, and to be honest, unfunny moments, but the young audience won't complain, it's just an uninspired and completely average animated comedy. Adequate!