Film Review: Drac Pack Still a Drag in ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 25, 2015 - 9:01am

CHICAGO – For the younger set unable to experience the mystique of Dracula, Wolfman and Frankenstein in their original creations, “Hotel Transylvania 2” may prove to be an introduction to the legendary bloodsucker and his band of movie monsters – and for that Adam Sandler deserves a stake through his heart.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

The premise is the same this time around. Sandler is back to voice the overly protective, positively batty sitcom dad Dracula who hovers over his only daughter. He runs a hotel exclusively for monsters so they can get away from those pitchfork toting angry mobs, but Drac has reluctantly opened the hotel to humans as well after his daughter marries a human. And before you know it he learns he’s going to be a “vamp-pa.” That’s a vampire grandpa, and it’s a joke that the film repeats with the same exact phrasing and explanations multiple times, in hopes that repetition alone will lead to anything resembling humor.

From there the movie becomes something of a Frankenstein’s Monster itself, turning into a mashup of half a dozen recent vintage Sandler comedies like “Grown Ups” and an “Expendables” style mission that puts old dudes back into action. The plot hinges on the overly protective drac’s efforts to make sure his new grandson continues the Dracula family bloodline and becomes a vampire instead of a human.

”Hotel Transylvania 2” opens everywhere on September 25th. Featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Selena Gomez, Nick Offerman, David Spade, Andy Samberg, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Fran Drescher, Molly Shannon, Megan Mullally, Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz and Mel Brooks. Screenplay by Adam Sandler. Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. Rated “PG”