It seems that when ‘Jack & Jill’ was released, Adam Sandler fell down and broke his crown and ‘won’ a bunch of Razzies. You’d think he’d be more careful about the scripts he chose. But I bet that ‘Hotel Transylvania’ was already in production, so you’ve just gotta grin and bear it. The best you can do is show people you’re putting effort into your movie. And it seems like our friend Adam is just getting up from his wild ride down.

After Dracula (Adam Sandler) loses his wife to a mob of humans, he vows to protect his daughter Mavis, (Selena Gomez) and all other monsters from suffering the same fate. So he builds a hotel where all monsters can stay and relax, but when a human named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) comes across the hotel, hijinks ensue. If that sounds stupid, it’s because some premises just sound a certain way but look completely different. Don’t believe me, try saying the premise of ‘Ratatouille’ out loud.

What makes this movie work is, quite simply, the universe it creates. See this movie and honestly tell me you don’t have an urge to check in to this hotel. Every scene is just filled with in-jokes, that while funny or not, do make you want to explore the nature of the hotel and the monsters more. The monsters themselves have charming personalities, and even Sandler proves to be likable, even if his Dracula voice is worse than his Jill voice. The main issues I have with the movie revolve around the third act, I don’t want to spoil it, but I’ll tell you that it gets pretty goofy (unintentionally.)

While watching the movie, I noticed that the theater was pretty crowded for the first time in a while. A lot of kids will want to see this movie, but if you’re a parent, you’re probably wondering if it will be worth your time. Well, the best way to watch a movie that’s intended for young kids is to pretend that time never passed, that your young, wild self is inside you, and is enjoying this movie very much. Even if you don’t agree, it’s important to keep an open mind and take it for what it’s worth.

***1/2