Hotel Transylvania

Review by Sean Lynch

Adam Sandler movies have become a cinematic universe unto themselves. Much like Kevin Smith "View Askewniverse" with films all connected in some way and repeated use of the same actors, Sandler's far more mainstream interconnectedness has now become much more of a talking point than the movie themselves.

I've been a Sandler fan from the word go, but even I am willing to admit that he is now just going through the motions (albeit with an incredible and unparrelled strike rate of success). Now, the only joy I really get from a Sandler film is the "trainspotting" element : trying to see which in jokes have popped up, and trying to spot which cast regulars (aka. Sandler's mates) have managed to score themselves a lucrative cameo.

This is never more present than with his latest outing Hotel Transylvania - that's right, he's now even crossing his laziness into the world of CGI!

In Hotel Transylvania, Sandler plays Dracula, but not as we know him. Yes, this incarnation of the Prince of Darkness not only owns a lavish five star resort (a place where monsters and their families can live it up, free from the evil human world) but he's also a struggling single dad.

Over-protective of his, now teenage, daughter Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangersof the outside to put her off her burgeouning adventurous spirit.

As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world's most famous monsters can kick back in safety and peace. It's this rather simple yet brilliant set up which allows the Sandler-Movie trainspotting to begin, as the flick has a distinct odour of "Grown Ups in CGI".

So we've got resident fat guy Frankenstein (Kevin James - would he even have a job if Chris Farley was still alive?) and his bride (Fran Dreshcher), the Mummy (CeeLo Green), the Invisible Man (David Spade), a family of werewolves (Steve Bushchemi), and more.

Add to this Andy Samberg as an over-active teen love interest for Mavis and you've got yourself a Sandler movie bingo!

The fact there is nothing actually wrong with Hotel Transylvania is the biggest problem here. This is movie making at it's most cold, calculated and scientific. From the the plotline framework, to the use of pop songs, to the already-toy-designed character art, to the group of speechless cute things (that will no doubt be used for marking in the same vein as the penguins from Madagascar or the yellow things from Despicable Me) this is a movie that wants it's merchandising and spin-off cash before the film has even rolled it's credits.

All of this means is that the kids will love it, essentially because it's an identical product with a different coat of paint, so it's well worth their time. However, for those of us that aren't distracted by A.D.D. levels of movement - the aim of Hotel Transylvania is about as transparent as the product placement sketch from Wayne's World.

3 out of 5

Hotel Transylvania
Australian release: 20th September, 2012
Official Site: Hotel Transylvania
Cast: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Cee-Lo Green, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, Jon Lovitz
Director: Genndy Tartakovsky