Dracula and co. are back for another Transylvanian adventure and the franchise still bubbles with enough colour and silliness to stay afloat for this seaside outing.
Worried that her dad is under too much stress running the hotel, Mavis (Gomez) decides to book Dracula (Sandler) and their entire family on a monster-friendly cruise around the Bermuda Triangle.
While relaxation was the aim of the game, nobody bargained for the love story that was to come when Dracula falls for the ship's captain Erikha (Hahn). But the course of true love doesn't run smoothly and all isn't as it seems on board.
As the rocky waters of romance are carefully navigated, slapstick gags and silly one-liners abound as the gang enter holiday mode while retaining their charm and quirks.
The animation is excellent, with the world of ghouls and monsters always vibrant and never too scary for the little ones. Fireworks, bursts of colour and ever-changing scenery will keep their eyes peeled, and an upbeat song and dance mash-up brings things to a close on a high.
Thematically, it's all about inclusion. In previous films we've seen Dracula struggle to accept Mavis loving a human, but here the shoe is on the other foot as he tries to win the heart of a human himself – how far he has come.
The messages in the film couldn't be more positive for children; don't fear what is different, accept people for what is on the inside, celebrate what makes you unique. Valuable lessons for adults too.
It's good fun, and while the film doesn't offer as much for an older audience as some other animated franchises might, it's extremely watchable, easy entertainment.
