The Addams Family 2

Parents say
Based on 11 reviews
Kids say
Based on 18 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
The Addams Family 2
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Addams Family 2 is the "family road trip" sequel to 2019's animated The Addams Family. Like that film, it's not as scary as its live-action predecessors, but there's no shortage of dark humor or cartoon violence. Wednesday (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) is perpetually trying to kill/harm her brother Pugsley (Javon "Wanna" Walton), and she traps a man who hangs upside down over a cliff before presumably falling to his death. It has big explosions; characters in peril, held captive, or sedated; human experimentation; fighting; an homage to the movie Carrie (with red paint instead of blood); and a destructive battle between gigantic monsters. Some of the creatures in the Addams Family world can look scary, and the family experiences emotional moments when they're told that Wednesday may not biologically be an Addams. Expect to hear insult language like "freak" and "weirdo," as well as a few Addams-style endearments (like "murderous maternal instincts" and "witch"). Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron) continue to be depicted as caring parents who are very much in love (kissing, dancing, and exchanging affectionate gestures and innuendoes fairly frequently). This movie also finds Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) advising Pugsley on dating, resulting in some pretty cheesy pickup lines and flirting. A joke substitutes "tentacles" for "testicles." Adult characters drink in a couple of scenes. Ultimately, the movie promotes communication, teamwork, and the value of a family's unconditional love.
Community Reviews
Garbage
Report this review
Report this review
What's the Story?
THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 starts with Wednesday Addams (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) showing off an impressive science fair project but being disappointed when everyone at the fair is deemed a winner. When Gomez (Oscar Isaac) worries that angsty Wednesday is distancing herself from the family, he decides to plan a last-minute road trip across the United States for the family, including his wife Morticia (Charlize Theron), kids Wednesday and Pugsley (Javon "Wanna" Walton), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll), their butler/bodyguard Lurch (Conrad Vernon), and Thing, a disembodied hand servant. The family's trip is complicated by the fact that a mysterious man named Rupert (Wallace Shawn) shows up insisting that he has clients who believe that Wednesday and their daughter might have been switched at birth, making Wednesday their biological daughter. Morticia and Gomez use the trip to manufacture more forced family fun -- and also to avoid Rupert. Meanwhile, back at the Addams mansion, Grandma (Bette Midler) hosts a profitable (but fake) music festival.
Is It Any Good?
This serviceable animated sequel focuses on Wednesday's feelings of alienation and benefits from the family's kid-friendly jokes and road trip adventures. Perhaps because the first movie was so underwhelming, this follow-up seems a bit more rooted in the family's kooky antics. Since the Addamses visit well-known places on their trips -- like Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc. -- the movie offers a relatable storyline, despite the family's generally eccentric nature. Isaac and Theron once again channel the passionately in-love Gomez and Morticia (they're arguably the most ardent animated parents in movie history) but manage to also convey -- in between arm kisses and caresses -- how worried they are about Wednesday. Parents will empathize with Gomez and Morticia's desire to encourage more family togetherness as their kids get older.
But the sequel is definitely Wednesday's show, and Moretz's flat, emotionless performance is exactly what the role requires. She does a fine job evoking the clever young scientist's disinterest in anything emotional or sentimental. The writing and comedy gags include a memorable sequence that's like Little Miss Sunshine meets Carrie, as well as a running joke about Uncle Fester slowly turning into an octopus. At one point the word "tentacles" is obviously a stand-in for the word "testicles," although it's unlikely that really young viewers will pick up on that or the movie's other risqué/suggestive comments (usually courtesy of the Addams parents). The subplot about Grandma's Fyre Festival-like event (which eventually features Snoop Dogg as Cousin It) is underused and unnecessary, but it's not featured enough to detract from the main story, which takes enough zany twists and turns to amuse younger viewers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the suggestive jokes in The Addams Family 2. Are they necessary to the story?
Are animated movies less frightening than live-action ones? Why, or why not? Do they impact younger viewers differently? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?
Do you consider anyone in the story a role model? What character strengths do they display? Why are communication, empathy, and teamwork important?
Discuss the way family dynamics are explored in the movie. Why does Wednesday feel like she's not "really" an Addams? Is biology what makes someone part of a family, or is it something else?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 1, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: January 18, 2022
- Cast: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bill Hader
- Directors: Greg Tiernan, Conard Vernon, Laura Brousseau
- Studio: MGM
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Communication, Empathy, Teamwork
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: macabre and rude humor, violence and language
- Last updated: August 8, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love offbeat comedies
Character Strengths
Find more movies that help kids build character.
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate