After beloved live-action renditions of “The Addams Family” graced the 90s, a new animated feature brought the iconic, kooky family to a fresh audience. This animated film delves into the origins of the family, presenting a fun and spooky take on these classic characters. Gomez, voiced by Oscar Isaac, remains passionately devoted to Morticia, voiced by Charlize Theron. Wednesday, voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz, maintains her signature monotone delivery of gloomy pronouncements, while Pugsley, voiced by Finn Wolfhard, continues to be the frequent subject of Wednesday’s less-than-tender experiments.
This iteration can be seen as “The Addams Family” origin story. The film opens with Gomez and Morticia’s wedding day, abruptly interrupted as they are driven out of their community by an angry mob. Seeking refuge, they encounter Lurch, voiced by Conrad Vernon, and discover a dilapidated asylum perched atop a foreboding hill. For the Addamses, it’s love at first sight – the perfect eerie haven. Thirteen years of spooktacular domestic bliss ensue, undisturbed until a home renovation TV show, spearheaded by the ambitious Margaux Needler (voiced by Allison Janney), sets its sights on transforming the town nestled below the Addams estate. This revamped town, christened Assimilation, embodies everything the Addams family is not: bright, cheerful, and populated by cookie-cutter residents. The stark contrast between Assimilation’s forced cheerfulness and the Addams’ shadowy mansion threatens property values and sparks conflict.
As Margaux schemes to force the Addams family to conform to her vision of suburban perfection, Wednesday embarks on a rebellious phase, even experimenting with a hair barrette, and Pugsley grapples with the Marsuka, a traditional Addams sword dance marking a rite of passage. “The Addams Family” animated movie delivers mild amusement and is reasonably entertaining. While the necessity of an animated version might be debated in an era of constant reboots and adaptations, it offers a fresh, visually engaging entry into the Addams Family canon for a new generation.
