THE ADDAMS FAMILY (2019) – Featuring an otherworldly list of voice talent – Oscar Isaac (Dune), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Chloë Grace Moretz (Dark Shadows), Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), and Allison Janney (The Creator) – this altogether ooky tale opens the creaky gate to horrific hilarity!
THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 (2021) – Morticia (Charlize Theron) and Gomez (Oscar Isaac) are distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond, they decide to cram Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz), Pugsley (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. What could possibly go wrong?
For in-depth thoughts on The Addams Family 1 & 2, please see my colleague Michele Arbir’s review of the series here.
Video Quality
The Addams Family 1 & 2 comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Studios with both films sharing a disc in 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision. These films are pretty short so compression largely is not an issue, but there are a few spots that make you wish that each film could have gotten a standalone disc to optimize the encoding. When compared to the Blu-Ray counterparts, the uptick in fine detail within the animation is subtle but appreciated. The textures of the character designs and the environments are extremely impressive and give the films a real sense of depth. This animation style allows for impeccably fluid character designs. All of the individual strands of hair are unique and flow naturally. The level of detail these animators put into each environment shines through here.
The real coup of this release is the introduction of Dolby Vision into the equation for a more radiant color palette. The expansion of the color space allows for deeper and more accurate hues to materialize. The colors present in this transfer are practically beaming off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating every inch of the frame. Even though the characters are dour, their environments are often very bright in the sequel, especially. Black levels are incredibly strong with only fleeting moments when banding enters the equation. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray is not a night-and-day improvement, but fans of the films will enjoy the upgrade.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray utilizes a DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio lossless track that gives this lively series real vitality. There is an emphasis on the front channels for a good portion of the sounds, but activity kicks into the surrounds and rears during the more kinetic and action-oriented bits. The films impress when it comes to the music, and this track pumps the sound straight through your body in a really satisfying, enveloping way. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting lost in the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer give certain moments that much-needed extra weight to completely sell it to the audience. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered appropriately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. These films will have your house rocking and shaking in the best way. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
The Addams Family
- Deleted and Extended Scenes: Four unused scenes totaling six minutes are provided in an unfinished form.
- Charades with Thing: A four-minute guessing game with your favorite independent hand.
- Life of a Scene: A nearly four-minute featurette in which some of the creative team breaks down each step in the process of bringing the film to the screen.
- Welcome to the Family: A six-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the new take on the classic family, the voices bringing them to life, and more.
- Addams Family Throwback: A minute-long look at the original comics and how they were used as inspiration for this film.
- “Haunted Heart” Lyric Video (2:50)
- “My Family” Lyric Video (1:05)
- Trailer (2:32)
The Addams Family 2
- We’re Altogether Addams: A nice nine-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team run through the characters and highlight what each performer brings to the role. It is nice to hear Isaac discussing what Raul Julia meant to him growing up and why Theron enjoys getting into this role for her kids, among other interesting anecdotes.
- Courage To Be Kooky: A three-minute piece in which most of the same participants discuss how the Addams family represents the feeling of being an outsider and how their story shows how unique qualities should be cherished.
- The Addams Family Road Trip Checklist: A four-minute featurette that guides you on how to prepare for a road trip as if you were a member of the Addams clan.
- Trailer (2:15)
Final Thoughts
The Addams Family animated films have the great misfortune of living in the shadow of the iconic ‘90s live-action adaptations. These new takes on the material are more squarely aimed at a younger crowd, often toning down the creepy factor so key to the family. Nevertheless, they are still fun adventures with the characters that might act as a gateway to some of the past interpretations of the family. The voice performances are a lot of fun as the A-list cast brings some unique qualities to the characters. If you enjoy spending time with the characters, you will still have fun here. Shout! Studios has provided a 4K UHD Blu-Ray for both films that is wonderful in the A/V department with a fair number of special features. If you are a fan of the series, this is a very solid release. Recommended
The Addams Family 1 & 2 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
