Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky
Written by: Peter Baynham, Robert Smigel
Stars (voices of): Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg,
Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Ceelo Green
Plot: After an angry mob of humans kills
his wife, Dracula (Sandler) sets up a place for the world’s monsters to come
and enjoy peace and safety - in the castle walls of Hotel Transylvania. It also
becomes a sanctuary set up for his daughter (Gomez) whose desire to see the
outside world is invigorated all-the-more once a human (Samberg) finds his way
into the hotel and shows them all a different side to life.
Director
Genndy Tartakovsky has a very recognisable style – pure energy and frantic
movement à la the cartoon mayhem of
something like Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry – but for a film like Hotel Transylvania it becomes too
disorientating. From the man who has directed episodes of The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s
Laboratory and Samurai Jack, and
the writer of brilliant comedy shows such as The Day Today, Brass Eye,
and I’m Alan Partridge, this film
should unequivocally work wonders. Nevertheless, perhaps it is a “too many
cooks spoil the broth” scenario as Hotel
Transylvania is a mess.
The
characters are likeable but they never seem to blend together adeptly.
Frankenstein (to be pedantic - Frankenstein’s monster, as it should be) is said to be Dracula’s best friend but
he spends more time with Wayne the werewolf, Murray the mummy and Griffin the
invisible man, to seem in any way connected to the iconic blood-sucker. Chances
are the writers were not too concerned about the relationship of Dracula and
his friends as it is the plot-point of Dracula’s daughter Mavis and her
interest in intruding human Jonathan that warrants the most attention. This story
is actually well presented once it finds its legs (Dracula’s initial attempts
to get rid or hide Jonathan in the hotel leads to a series of dizzying and
mundane visual jokes).
Voices
aren’t so imposing that you become more distracted by the “whose voice is
that?” mystery and fascination and Sandler, Samberg and Gomez’s voices lend
themselves perfectly to their characters (as do the rest of the cast,
especially Buscemi’s). The development of this trio gives the film some
humanity and one scene involving table-arrangement and racing, and another
where Jonathan and Mavis enjoy a sunset, really highlights the quality of some
of the animation and writing. These more lengthy scenes are where the better
jokes lie; one scene where the hotel guests play bingo is hilarious but was
clearly too slow to fit in with the enveloping pace and quickly changes into a
montage of monster’s dancing and frolicking around.
The
major issue with Hotel Transylvania
(and an understandable one) is that it needs to remain energetic for the
demographic it’s made for. Kids will inevitably love this film as it’s full of
slapstick humour, eclectic examples of monsters and 3D incorporated suitably
for the action. The director, in regard to this, has been chosen wisely as his
knack for optical dynamics and his clear understanding of cartoon physics gives
Hotel Transylvania a plentiful amount
of visual vivacity. For the adults, however, it’s just too boisterous and many
can expect their children to come out of the film roaring, snarling and hissing,
inspired by the guests of the film’s hotel. The final song at the end
(irritatingly becoming a staple of contemporary animation – bar Pixar) pounds
some extra vigour into the film that children will love and adults will sorely
hate.
Through
a child’s eyes this film seems chock full of wonderful characters, exciting
set-pieces and funny skits but for any person above the age of 10 it is a
painful endurance test. When moments of calm come they are greatly welcomed and
mostly include some of the funniest gags. Nonetheless, surrounding these short
pieces of more serene comedy is a tirade of in-your-face tomfoolery that brings
about headaches and exasperation.
**
By Piers McCarthy. Also posted on Blogomatic3000
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