The Addams Family
The animated films "The Addams Family" (2019) and its sequel "The Addams Family 2" (2021) bring the iconic macabre family to modern audiences in supernatural comedy adventures. The first film centers on the Addams family moving to New Jersey and clashing with a reality TV host, Margaux Needler, who despises their unconventional lifestyle while attempting to create a perfectly uniform community. The narrative also involves Pugsley's coming-of-age ritual and Wednesday's curiosity about the outside world. The sequel, "The Addams Family 2," sees the family embark on a cross-country road trip in a haunted RV to reconnect, with a subplot exploring Wednesday's lineage after a scientist claims to be her true father. Both films, rated PG, feature themes of family acceptance, celebrating individuality, and challenging societal norms.
Concerns
Witchcraft & Occult
HighThe Addams Family franchise is inherently rooted in supernatural and occult themes, and the animated movies continue this tradition. Characters engage in practices such as séances and interact with haunted elements, which are central to their identity and way of life.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), Morticia conducts a séance to communicate with her deceased parents, and the Addams mansion itself is haunted by a disembodied spirit. The family home is a former asylum haunted by a demanding resident spirit, and a tree branch serves as a 'wacky wake-up gadget' by pulling Wednesday out of her guillotine bed.
Violence
MediumThe films feature frequent, cartoonish violence that is generally slapstick and without lasting harm, though some scenes are intense and involve dangerous objects or actions. The violence is often played for macabre humor, but the intensity and portrayal of children engaging in risky behavior warrant a medium severity rating.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), Pugsley repeatedly experiments with rockets and bombs, one of which explodes out of the house, nearly hitting Gomez twice and eventually exploding into the sky with Pugsley falling uninjured through a greenhouse roof. Wednesday engages in various acts of 'playful' violence with Pugsley, such as burying him alive, shooting a crossbow at him, and setting Frankenstein frogs on a school bully. She also sleeps in a guillotine with a blade balanced over her neck.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe films feature gothic and macabre aesthetics, along with some intense scenes that could be frightening for younger viewers. While much of the 'scary' content is presented with comedic intent, elements like monsters, threatening mobs, and unsettling environments are present.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), the abandoned asylum chosen by Gomez and Morticia is initially shown with chalk outlines of murder victims and walls that appear to bleed, accompanied by a sinister voice telling them to 'Get out!' Lurch, the Addams Family butler, is visually creepy and his appearance alone often frightens townspeople.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThemes of disrespect and rebellion are present, particularly through Wednesday's character arc as she explores individuality beyond her family's expectations, and through Parker's defiance against her overbearing mother. The Addams family themselves embody a form of societal rebellion by rejecting conventional norms.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), Wednesday rebels against her family's macabre traditions by seeking out 'normal' experiences, such as befriending Parker and briefly adopting a colorful, unicorn-themed hair clip, to Morticia's horror. Parker Needler, Margaux's daughter, actively rebels against her mother's superficial 'Assimilation' lifestyle and eventually exposes her mother's manipulative actions through a live stream.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe films do not overtly mock or insult Christian beliefs. However, they prominently feature pagan and occult themes (e.g., séances, haunted houses, monsters) as positive aspects of the Addams family's identity, which could be seen as indirectly contrary to Christian worldviews, but without direct antagonism.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), Morticia performs a séance to communicate with her deceased parents, depicting communication with the dead as a normal family practice. The entire premise of the Addams family centers on their delight in the macabre, gothic, and supernatural, which inherently contrasts with many traditional Christian values, though without explicitly criticizing Christianity itself.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowExplicit searches for LGBTQ and gender identity content within "The Addams Family" (2019) and "The Addams Family 2" (2021) animated films, including specific character and creator-related queries, yielded no verified instances of LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or representation. The content of these films does not feature discussions of sexual orientation, gender identity exploration, or visible same-sex romantic relationships.
No specific examples of LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or representation were found within the content of "The Addams Family" (2019) or "The Addams Family 2" (2021) based on the comprehensive searches conducted. All mandatory LGBTQ searches returned zero relevant results for these specific movies.
Romance and Sexual Content
LowThe films portray a loving and passionate relationship between Gomez and Morticia, characterized by affectionate gestures and declarations of love. There is minimal suggestive content, primarily limited to their interactions and a single minor innuendo in the first film.
Gomez and Morticia frequently express their strong romantic affection through passionate kisses and dancing. In "The Addams Family" (2019), there is a brief innuendo where Morticia asks Gomez how he knows what cotton candy tastes like, to which he replies, 'Tish, it was my youth, I made mistakes!', implying a past indulgence, though not sexual in nature.
Profanity
LowBoth animated films contain very mild language and do not feature strong profanity or curse words. Any potentially objectionable language is extremely infrequent and mild in nature.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), the term "Holy Hades" is used as a mild exclamation. Overall, parent reviews for both films explicitly state that 'none' or 'none noted' for profanity, indicating a general absence of strong language.
Substance Use
LowMinor instances of substance use are depicted or alluded to, involving legal substances like cigars and alcoholic beverages, but without emphasis on consumption or negative consequences. This content is incidental and not central to the plot.
In "The Addams Family" (2019), Gomez is seen smoking a cigar. Cousin Itt is depicted holding a martini, though not explicitly consuming it, in the same film.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 8+ is recommended for both animated films, "The Addams Family" (2019) and "The Addams Family 2" (2021). While rated PG, the movies contain frequent cartoonish violence, macabre humor, scary imagery, and occult themes that may be too intense or disturbing for younger children, particularly those under 7. The themes of individuality and family bonding are positive, but the presentation of dangerous activities, mild disrespect, and supernatural elements requires a level of maturity to process.
Additional Notes
Parents should be aware that while the animated films aim for family appeal, they maintain the Addams Family's signature dark humor and macabre aesthetic. The messages of accepting differences and valuing family are positive, but the frequent cartoon violence and overt occult themes should be considered for sensitive viewers. The sequel, "The Addams Family 2," introduces a plot point questioning Wednesday's biological parentage which, though resolved in a way that emphasizes chosen family, could prompt discussions about identity for some children.
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