ironhorse_iv Review of Addams Family Values

Addams Family Values (1993)

Addams Family Value has a lot of value to me. I love it!

[7/10 · 31 October 2014]

They're creepy and they're kooky, Mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky, the Addams Family. Directed by Barry Sonnenfled, the Addams Family Values is the sequel to the 1991 American dark comedy film, The Addams Family. The success of the first movie was what inspired a trend of film adaptations of TV series throughout The Nineties. So, it was no surprise that a sequel was greenlighted. Based on the characters from the cartoon of the same name created by cartoonist Charles Addams. 'The Addams Family' film series paint their characters as much more macabre than the 1960 TV show sitcom, playing off as light dark humor. Often a nostalgia cult follow brand, the movie saw the return of many of the cast members from the original 1991 film. The movie has the same plot of the first movie. Instead, of a gold digger mother trying to manipulate Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) to get to the family money, we get a gold digger murderous wife, Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack) trying to do the same. The movie tends to focus more on Uncle Fester than ever in this film, as characters like Gomez (Raúl Juliá) and Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston) are given, nothing much to do. Raul Julia really gives some good hammy one-liners to make up for that time. I love how they shot Morticia on the camera. Her lighting always consists of one beam of light across her eyes that gradually fades outward to add to her grim look. She is so beautiful in the film. She is equaling as funny as Raul Julia. I love the oddly place dance number. It made the little amount of scenes between them, so memorable for me. Still, I'm not really complaining, about how much Gomez and Morticia lack screen time. Seeing the serial killer, Debbie try to attempt to kill Uncle Fester are pretty funny and most of their scenes, together are well acted. Joan Cusack is great as Debbie. Not only that, she make an unlikeable character, into a likable character. She also gave the film, some really needed sex appeal. I have a crush on her character when I was a kid. I love the fact, how clueless and lovable, Christopher Lloyd makes Fester to be. It's one of his best roles, besides Doc Brown of the Back to the Future series. As humor goes, the best parts of this film are the Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci) & Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) going to a pretentious summer camp subplot by Debbie. Christina Ricci is great as Wednesday Addams, and I wouldn't see anybody else in that role. She delivers nothing, but deadpan snark, which only serves to make her all the more hilarious. The whole Thanksgiving play/raid was such a memorable scene that every time, I re watch this film, I looked forward to seeing this sequence. I have no idea; why a Thanksgiving play is being perform in the middle of the summer, but I love it. I love the conflict between the over the top snobby living in a fantasy world, rich kids, played well to the realist grim Addams kids. The sub-plot is so much better than the main plot in some ways. If anything, the fault of the film could be, the main plot offered nothing new; while the sub-plot should had more focus. Even the sub-plot of Gomez & Morticia looking after newborn Pubert wasn't really needed. The movie is pretty smart for a kid's movie, bringing social satire commentary to a lot of adult themes such as criticize of consumerism, the mistreatment of Native Americans, realism vs idealism and others. This movie doesn't treat kids as babies. There are tons of things in the film that might be view as today as not suitable for children. It really depends on the parent, if this movie is worth your children watching it. There are lot of dark humor, such as trying to kill a baby joke, sexual innuendos, and lots of foul language. There are a lot of things that kids might not get. The movie is also really shot, well. Lots of fantastic scenery and special effects. The theme song is really catchy. Still, the Addams-themed remake of "Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team" was a bit cheeky. Kinda made me wish for the days of McHammer rap from the first film. Michael Jackson was signed on to write and perform a song for the film's soundtrack and to promote it with a music video. Although he was able to finish the song, contractual difficulties coupled with the child molestation allegations made against Jackson resulted in the song being dropped from the soundtrack, and the video was never filmed. The song, "Is It Scary," was later included on Jackson's 1997 'Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix' album and was also used in his short film, Ghosts (1997). Overall: The movie is not to be taken too serious in a logic sense, it is a tongue-in-cheek comedy that work so well in its own world. It's worth the watch on Halloween or any good day, when a good laugh is needed.