HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2"
(2015) (voices of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Animated Comedy: Worried that his married vampire daughter might move out of the castle to raise her half-human/half vampire son with humans if that's what he turns out to be, Dracula does what he can to make sure his grandson is a bloodsucker like him.

PLOT:: For much of his life, Dracula (voice of ADAM SANDLER) hated humans and did everything to keep his 118-year-old daughter, Mavis (voice of SELENA GOMEZ), sheltered from them in his Transylvania hotel for monsters. But she ended up falling for Jonathan (voice of ANDY SAMBERG), an American backpacker with a surfer dude attitude. Now, years later, those two are married with a nearly five-year-old son, Dennis (voice of ASHER BLINKOFF). Dracula loves the kid, but is worried he might lean more toward being human than vampire. Accordingly, Dracula arranges for Jonathan to take Mavis to his hometown of Santa Cruz while he babysits and makes sure Dennis' fangs drop before he turns five.
And he tries to do that by having his friends -- Frankenstein (voice of KEVIN JAMES), werewolf Wayne (voice of STEVE BUSCEMI), Murray the mummy (voice of KEEGAN MICHAEL KEY) and Griffin (voice of DAVID SPADE), the invisible man -- show the boy what being a monster is all about. Unfortunately, they're all rusty at doing that, and even the vampire camp Dracula attended as a kid has gone soft. When Mavis gets wind of what her dad is trying to do, she returns home in a huff. Complicating matters is that she's invited Dracula's human-hating vampire father, Vlad (voice of MEL BROOKS), to Dennis' birthday party that will be attended by Jonathan, his parents, and other humans.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they enjoyed the first film, they probably will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For some scary images, action and rude humor

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: ADAM SANDLER voices DRACULA, the legendary vampire who's become more accepting of humans now that his daughter has married one. But he's concerned that his half-human/half-vampire grandson might not follow in his footsteps and thus sets out, with his monster friends, to get the boy to see the light, so to speak, about being a vampire. He deceives Mavis in doing so, and is disappointed that his monster friends have lost their knack for being monsters (and thus serving as role models for the boy).
SELENA GOMEZ voices MAVIS, his 125-year-old daughter, now a married and over-protective mother who's fine with however her son might turn out (vampire or human) and simply wants what's best for him. She reluctantly goes on vacation with her husband to California (where she could see raising their son), and is then mad and disappointed to learn of her father's plan.
ANDY SAMBERG voices Jonathan, her late 20-something husband, a former American backpacker with a surfer dude attitude. He enjoys living in the castle and has made the place more human friendly. He conspires with Dracula to have Mavis away from the castle while Dracula tries to force out his grandson's vampireness.
ASHER BLINKOFF voices Dennis, their four-and-a-half-year-old-son who enjoys living with monsters but fashions himself as a superhero. He gets to behave that way when he must battle some attacking vampire bats at the end of the movie.
MEL BROOKS voices Vlad, Dracula's human-hating father who senses something is up when he attends his grandson's fifth birthday party, the first time he's met the boy.
KEVIN JAMES voices Frankenstein (actually Frankenstein's monster) who tries to help Dracula and his quest, but has lost the knack for being scary.
STEVE BUSCEMI voices the werewolf Wayne who's in the same boat, but is often distracted by his dog-like tendencies.
DAVID SPADE voices Griffin, the invisible man who's always pretending to have a (likewise invisible) date. He briefly drinks champagne.
KEEGAN MICHAEL KEY voices Murray the mummy who likewise has forgotten how to be scary.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this animated comedy. Profanity consists of just 1 use of "boobies" (said in reference to what a wig looks like on a man's head) while various colorful phrases are also uttered. A cartoon character in the end credits shows cleavage in an outfit that accentuates her breasts (cartoon style), while a male character dresses in exaggerated drag and draws the attention of a male zombie.

Violence includes an end sequence where various huge and monstrous vampire bats try attacking various characters, but are easily fended off with a series of blows and such (this is played mostly for action rather than suspense or scares). Slapstick style material also occurs in various scenes. Some of the otherwise child-friendly monsters occasionally and suddenly turn monstrous and that and a few other scenes might prove unsettling, suspenseful and/or even scary to very young kids, but likely few if any others.

Bad attitudes are present, as is potentially imitative behavior. Tense family material occurs, as does related and other thematic elements/topics to talk about. The Invisible Man briefly holds two flutes of champagne and drinks one, while some other beverages are seen, but it's never indicated one way or the other if they're alcoholic or not. Crude humor also occurs in various scenes.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there are some brief instances of lighting in dark scenes, but nothing too dramatic.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, various scenes feature fluid camera movement, while some POV footage (flying, etc.) is also present.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We see some beverages that look like drinks at a party, but it's never indicated either way if they're alcoholic.
We see Griffin holding champagne flutes (that appear to be floating as we can't see him), and he pretends to have an invisible date. He drinks his champagne, but spills the other glass (as if the woman was clumsy).
Jonathan is served what appears to be a tropical style drink.

BLOOD/GROSS STUFF: Jonathan and Mavis go to kiss right after getting married, but Dracula causes a shrunken head to fly over and stop between them, with them then accidentally kissing that.
A monster giving a speech at a wedding spews slobber.
The tear from a giant monster lands on and completely soaks a woman.
Dracula tells Mavis not to give in to her pregnancy food temptations, adding she should have spiders (we see a tray of them) or sheep bile (followed by a sheep vomiting onto the tray of spiders).
We see one monster desperately needing to use the toilet, but it's been child-proofed. The monster ends up tearing away the entire toilet and then turns and drops its pants (nothing seen), but the gush of water blasts the monster away.
A monster magician does a card trick that involves pulling the gooey heart from the chest of another monster.
Dracula asks Dennis if he dreamt of drinking blood (Dennis says no).
Dennis tries to imitate being a bat and slobbers.
Dracula tells Dennis a lullaby that includes the line, "Suffer, suffer, scream in pain, blood is spilling from your brain."
We hear the toilet flushing as Dracula opens a door.
We see Frankenstein shirtless, sporting lots of crude stitches.
Jonathan blows a bubble from his mouth, and Dennis tries to do the same, but just drools.
One zombie accidentally drills into his hand with a power drill, spinning his hand off.
We see a dog raising its leg and urinating.
Dracula licks his palm and slicks back Dennis' hair.
Dracula flosses with spider web.
We see drool coming from Wayne's mouth as he has a Frisbee in his mouth.
As Wayne pants near him, Dracula says, "Sorry, can't handle the breath."
About Dennis, Dracula says, "This kid will guzzling goat blood in no time."
A fireman extinguishes Frankenstein with a fire extinguisher, and Frankenstein eats some of the foam on his face.
Dracula complains about a gelatinous monster needing to go to the bathroom, and we then see four urine streams coming from it.
Dracula does a spit-take on Jonathan's mom in reaction to something.
We see fake blood on various humans who are dressed as zombies for a party.
Frankenstein eats a tray full of gooey looking fish (or similar).
Vlad refers to Murray as "talking toilet paper."
Vlad states that Dracula used to pee in his bed as a child.
Dennis flies into a huge bat and knocks out some of his teeth, sending them and slobber flying.
Some of Wayne's pups slobber all over a tiny bat.
Vlad removes his vampire dentures and they're covered in slobber.
During the closing credits, a monster magician removes one of his eyes, while one monster barfs up one credit onto the screen, and it's covered in slobber/slime.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Dracula and Jonathan tell white lies to Mavis about where Dracula has Dennis and what he's trying to do.
Dracula states that Mavis is already "nutsy cuckoo."
A woman asks Mavis how she lost her mom and Mavis replies that she was killed by humans.
Vlad doesn't like humans, and the same holds true for his huge, monstrous bat (that later tries to harm Dennis, and one of Wayne's pups).
Vlad refers to Murray as "talking toilet paper."
Vlad uses his powers to possess a human in a child-friendly monster costume, causes his head to spin around and then shoot cakes out onto the faces of various people watching, and then turns the costume monstrous.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: There's some scary music as the camera approaches Dracula's hotel and enters, followed by a monster suddenly being right at the camera, but it's for a party.
When Jonathan and Mavis cut into their wedding cake, it screams, as do the pieces cut from it.
Dracula orders Wayne to kill a deer to show how a monster behaves, but Wayne is out of practice and is then distracted by a Frisbee.
Dracula climbs up a very tall and rickety tower with Dennis and his monster friends. He wants to prove that Dennis can fly like a vampire and force the boy to do so. Accordingly, he throws Dennis off the top and waits patiently, while his friends freak out. Dracula realizes he must fly into action at the last second, and does so, saving the boy right before he hits the ground.
Dracula occasionally makes some scary, monster faces (cartoonish) that could spook some very young kids.
Mavis suddenly turns monstrous to convince an airport counter attendant of something.
Vlad's monstrous and huge bat might be scary to some younger kids.
Vlad uses his powers to possess a human in a child-friendly monster costume, causes his head to spin around and then shoot cakes out onto the faces of various people watching, and then turns the costume monstrous.
Vlad's huge and monstrous bat chases after Dennis and one of Wayne's pups, grabbing both. The pup bites the bat's arm, causing him to throw the pup aside. That results in Dennis converting into a vampire and he flies into the bat, driving him back into a tree. Moments later, the bat throws a huge rock at the two of them, but Dennis flies into the rock, pulverizing it, and then flies into and hits the bat many times, including knocking out some teeth. Dennis then causes a tennis ball serving machine to send tennis balls hard into the bat. Other bats then attack, with Dracula and Mavis joining Dennis in hitting many of them, including some large stones falling onto one bat. Frankenstein also hits one, and while Wayne tries the same, he's thrown to the ground and surrounded by three large bats. His many pups, however, come to the rescue and attack the bats. Meanwhile, a monster with tentacle like arms uses many of them to strike a bat, while Frankenstein throws a gelatinous monster into more of them. More such bats are hit, and when the main bat tries to fly and drive a stake into Jonathan, Vlad uses his powers to miniaturize the bat.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Vlad's huge bat flies and tries to stab Jonathan with a stake, but is stopped.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Look like my grandma's boobies," "How hot is my date?" "Holy smokes," "I would eat a bucket of garlic to fly with you," "My little devil dog," "So you cut your finger off, it's part of the fun," "Are you nuts?" "All that taught me is you're pathetic," "Hello, my little devil," "Did you have sweet nightmares?" "Suffer, suffer, scream in pain, blood is spilling from your brain," "Dude," "The count's wigging out here," "He's just a late fanger," "Shut up," "He'll be fanging it up in no time," "Vampa," "No problemo," "Stake my heart and hope to die," "Capeesh," "Smiling on the outside," "Jeez," "Whatever," "You're awesome," "For real?" "We don't need to kill anymore, we have Pop-Tarts," "You're a were-wussy," "Love your chocolate cereal," "Holy rabies," "That was sick, lady," "Tubular," "Sorry, can't handle your breath," "Take it down a notch," "You imbecile," "This kid will guzzling goat blood in no time," "That a bat," "Already nutsy cuckoo," "Maybe he won't be so freaky," "Awesome freakazoids," "Shut your wart hole," "You look like you got a baboon's butt on your head," "Nauseated to meet you," "Talking toilet paper," "You're a fool," "Before we all barf" and "I didn't do that."
Some kids might be enticed to imitate the voices heard in the film, especially Dracula's heavy accent.
Some might also imitate humans who mock imitate Dracula by saying "Blah-blah-blah" (in a Dracula accent).
In order to see his newborn grandson, Dracula dresses like a female nurse, with huge fake breasts and a huge butt. That draws the attention of a male zombie who likes the site of "her" bent over.
A monster couple gives little Dennis a "my first guillotine" toy, and it includes a "try me" hole where one can stick their finger through the packaging. After Mavis says she'll have to childproof that, the lady monster says, "So you cut your finger off, it's part of the fun."
Dracula does some elaborate dance moves, including rocking his entire body, chest-down, on the floor.
Wayne's wife sprays one of her pups with a water bottle.
Mavis does the limbo (by flying) under a burning limbo rod.
As Dracula mentions "yoga" at the hotel, we see one monster being stretched on the rack (and liking it).
Dracula licks his palm and slicks back Dennis' hair.
Dracula flosses with spider web.
Mavis drinks a lot of Slurpees fast.
Dracula twists Griffin's invisible nipples.
We see kids doing bike stunts, followed by Jonathan doing the same (but crash-landing hard), and then Mavis doing even more extreme ones.
Dracula climbs up a very tall and rickety tower with Dennis and his monster friends. He wants to prove that Dennis can fly like a vampire and force the boy to do so. Accordingly, he throws Dennis off the top and waits patiently, while his friends freak out. Dracula realizes he must fly into action at the last second, and does so, saving the boy right before he hits the ground.
A fireman extinguishes Frankenstein with a fire extinguisher, and Frankenstein eats some of the foam on his face.
Mavis finds Dennis standing atop several boxes stacked vertically.
Dracula does a spit-take on Jonathan's mom in reaction to something.
We see fake blood on various humans who are dressed as zombies for a party.
On at least two occasions, a small monster suddenly does something (eating something in one bite) and then innocently proclaims, "I didn't do that."

JUMP SCENES: There's some scary music as the camera approaches Dracula's hotel and enters, followed by a monster suddenly being right at the camera, but it's for a party.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): Some scary and heavily dramatic music plays from time to time in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 1 slang terms for breasts ("boobies").

SEX/NUDITY: About his made-up, likewise invisible date, Griffin asks, "How hot is my date?"
Jonathan and Mavis go to kiss right after getting married, but Dracula causes a shrunken head to fly over and stop between them, with them then accidentally kissing that. But they do get in a quick peck on the lips.
A female monster kisses a guy on the cheek.
In order to see his newborn grandson, Dracula dresses like a female nurse, with huge fake breasts and a huge butt. That draws the attention of a male zombie who likes the site of "her" bent over.
We see the abominable snowman in just his small briefs after Wayne's pups swarm and apparently de-fur him from the waist down.
We see Frankenstein shirtless, sporting lots of crude stitches.
Griffin pretends to kiss his invisible date.
About a huge vampire wig Jonathan is wearing, Dracula says it looks like he has a baboon's butt on his head. Moments later, Vlad sarcastically says it looks like his grandma's "boobies."
A female monster kisses a human male on the cheek while simultaneously hitting a huge bat.
During the closing credits, we see a cartoon drawn female assistant to a magician, and she wears a top that shows a little cartoon cleavage and accentuates the shape of her breasts, while moments later she's seen in mermaid type outfit with a bikini top.

SMOKING: None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Dennis asks Dracula if he misses grandma, and Dracula says yes.
Mavis is upset with Dracula when she learns that he's been trying to force Dennis into becoming a vampire. She informs him that after Dennis' birthday party, she, Jonathan and their boy are moving to California.
A woman asks Mavis how she lost her mom and Mavis replies that she was killed by humans.
Mavis is upset with Jonathan when she learns he was in cahoots with her dad regarding Dennis.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Accepting people (especially children) for who and what they are.
Mavis tells Dracula that he can't make somebody into something they're not.
Dracula and Jonathan tell white lies to Mavis about where Dracula has Dennis and what he's trying to do.
A woman asks Mavis how she lost her mom and Mavis replies that she was killed by humans.

VIOLENCE: All of the following is played for comedy or action, rather than any sort of realism.
Wayne's pups swarm a flower girl at a party, leaving her looking disheveled.
A monster falls over a child gate at the end of a stairwell that goes into a void (we don't see the impact below).
We see one monster desperately needing to use the toilet, but it's been child-proofed. The monster ends up tearing away the entire toilet and then turns and drops its pants (nothing seen), but the gush of water blasts the monster away.
A monster magician does a card trick that involves pulling the gooey heart from the chest of another monster.
As Dracula mentions "yoga" at the hotel, we see one monster being stretched on the rack (and liking it).
Wayne's pups knock down Dennis by accident.
One zombie accidentally drills into his hand with a power drill, spinning his hand off.
As the monsters ride in a vehicle, a gelatinous monster rides in a sidecar, with many tree branches whacking into him in passing.
A gelatinous monster ends up going through a railing in his sidecar and falls a long distance over the cliff edge (we don't see any impact).
We see kids doing bike stunts, followed by Jonathan doing the same (but crash-landing hard).
A very tall and rickety tower collapses, and when the top hits the ground, it causes an explosion, setting Frankenstein on fire and he runs through various buildings, setting them on fire by accident. After he's put out, a tree falls on their vehicle, causing it to explode.
A woman asks Mavis how she lost her mom and Mavis replies that she was killed by humans.
Vlad uses his powers to possess a human in a child-friendly monster costume, causes his head to spin around and then shoot cakes out onto the faces of various people watching.
Vlad's huge and monstrous bat chases after Dennis and one of Wayne's pups, grabbing both. The pup bites the bat's arm, causing him to throw the pup aside. That results in Dennis converting into a vampire and he flies into the bat, driving him back into a tree. Moments later, the bat throws a huge rock at the two of them, but Dennis flies into the rock, pulverizing it, and then flies into and hits the bat many times, including knocking out some teeth. Dennis then causes a tennis ball serving machine to send tennis balls hard into the bat. Other bats then attack, with Dracula and Mavis joining Dennis in hitting many of them, including some large stones falling onto one bat. Frankenstein also hits one, and while Wayne tries the same, he's thrown to the ground and surrounded by three large bats. His many pups, however, come to the rescue and attack the bats. Meanwhile, a monster with tentacle like arms uses many of them to strike a bat, while Frankenstein throws a gelatinous monster into more of them. More such bats are hit, and when the main bat tries to fly and drive a stake into Jonathan, Vlad uses his powers to miniaturize the bat.

Reviewed September 25, 2015 / Posted September 25, 2015

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