HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

GRADE: B-

Reviewed by Paul Gibbs

I assumed that Adam Sandler’s new animated comedy was using its title as a play on the Eagles hit song Hotel California, but, after seeing the film, I’m not at all sure it isn’t also referencing Terry George’s 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda”.  As in that far more serious film, the title hotel is a refuge for a group of persecuted souls. But, in this case, Count Dracula (voiced by Sandler) has established the hotel as a safe haven for monsters, a place where they can remain hidden from humans who set after them with pitchforks, fire, silver bullets and the like. Drac’s primary motivation is to protect his young daughter Mavis (voiced by Disney Channel star Selena Gomez, best known for being confused with Demi Lovato). As Mavis reaches her 118^th birthday, and the moment where Dracula promised she could go out on her own to see the world, the count goes to great lengths to ensure that her experience will be a negative one. Then, when Mavis decides her father is right and she’s better off staying away from humans, who should drop into her birthday celebration but Jonathan, an adventurous young human voiced by Saturday Night Live cast member Andy Samberg.

Besides providing the voice of Dracula, Sandler is also an executive producer, and one of the screenwriters is SNL veteran Robert Smigel, creator of such characters as the Ambiguously Gay Duo.  This leads to the film showing a heavy influence of Sandler’s particular brand of comedy, meaning there are far more bodily function gags than just about any parent I know really wants being viewed by their kids. It’s ironic that the participation of “grown up” comedians  gives “Hotel Transylvania” a much more juvenile sense of humor than we’re used to seeing in children’s animated films. Ironic, but not particularly surprising.

Fortunately, this short coming is balanced out by strong animation in the distinctive style of director Genndy Tartakovsky, and, more importantly, by a lot more heart than we usually expect from Sandler. Sandler, so often merely irritating, is actually quite charming much of the time in his portrayal of Dracula as the classic overprotective father, and it’s the sweetness of this relationship, along with the goofy fun of seeing cartoon monsters hanging around together, that lifts the film past its tendency toward crudeness into still being a cute, enjoyable children’s film. Sandler is supported by Kevin James as Frankenstein’s monster, Steve Buscemi as the Wolfman, and David Spade as the Invisible Man, and while none of them earn the kind of big laughs we might hope for, they do manage to be largely amusing and endearing.  Adults aren’t likely to find themselves swept up like they are in a Pixar classic, but they’ll still likely have fun if Dracula, Frankenstein and werewolves are part of their childhood Halloween memories, and I found myself enjoying  the movie a great deal on that level.

Admittedly, I’m going easy on this one. I’ve always been a sucker for animated children’s films, and, having grown up watching The Munsters on Halloween when other kids were watching A Nightmare On Elm Street, this brought a welcome feeling of nostalgia for the holiday that the horror boom of recent years hasn’t.  Hotel Transylvania isn’t going to be competing for the Best Animated Film Oscar, but it’s a pleasant little movie that most kids and a fair number of adults will enjoy. Keep your expectations relatively low and you’ll have a good time. I give it a B -.