ALL AT SEA
Drac in over his head as ‘Hotel Transylvania 3’ gang ships out
The third time makes for a frenetic animated “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”
Not exactly a comedy, “HT3” is expansive enough with ample characters, including a plus-size dog, and percolates with so much energetic horseplay it would be enough to power the mega cruise ship that is the film's primary setting.
Once again, Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler as a spot-on Bela Lugosi parody) is morose and his perky daughter (Selena Gomez), who has a human husband (Andy Samberg), decides he needs a break from the family hotel.
The Lord of Darkness is horrified that his “surprise” is a week aboard this cruise ship that will visit the underwater city of Atlantis.
At least his best buds from the hotel are here as well.
That means if “HT3” abandons the hotel, the familiar Hotel Transylvania gang is all onboard — the Invisible Man (David Spade), Mummy Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Werewolf Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Frankenstein (Kevin James), who illustrates a cautionary note about the perils of gambling addiction when he bets — and loses — his hands at the roulette table and must make do with lobster claws.
“HT3” benefits from having some of the most distinctive voices in showbiz, including Fran Drescher, Buscemi and Mel Brooks as Drac's dad.
Once aboard, our longtime vampire widower feels that “zing” when he spies Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), the perky blonde cruise director.
Vampire legend says you only get that “zing” with the strings of your heart once in a lifetime — but this second round has Drac completely smitten, a fool for love.
That's because Drac doesn't realize Ericka is a descendant of Drac's centuries' old rival, the vampire-slaying Von Helsing. Her mission is to destroy the moony vampire.
She's secretly stowed onboard her grandfather's head and assorted robotic parts. This wheelchair-riding Von Helsing is the one to actually do the dirty deed.
“HT3” tells this tale of thwarted love, misguided trust and malicious intent with a virtually nonstop pace that allows Russianborn director Genndy Tartakovsky to indulge in not so much laughs but slapstick that continually nods to classic cartoon references.