The Addams Family was a comic created by Charles Addams that satirized the idea of the perfect American family. Instead of suburban homes with a dog and white picket fence, the Addams family enjoyed an isolated life playing in a graveyard with their pet lion. The departure from the norm has helped the family endure ever since and has brought laughs through various forms of media, including cartoons, sitcoms and films.
In its nearly 100 years of existence, The Addams Family has been adapted into a total of five films. While the entries feature mostly different casts, they all maintain the family dynamic that makes the franchise great. But when compared, where do these films all rank? Thanks to IMDb, this list will help measure which entries hit or miss.
5. The Addams Family Reunion - 4.0/10
Following the successes of Barry Sonnenfeld's two Addams Family films, Addams Family Reunion attempted to maintain what made those films great while introducing an almost entirely new cast. The film follows the Addams family as they try to cure Gomez's grandparents of "Waltzheimer's disease," which is slowly turning them into ordinary people. Unfortunately, the film was straight-to-video and did not receive the same level of praise as its predecessors. The cause of this can be felt throughout the movie, as its story seems more in line with an extended TV episode rather than a feature-length adventure. To make matters worse, the movie's jokes don't land with nearly as much effect, which is crucial in a film consisting of dark humor. However, what it lacked in story and direction, it made up for with Tim Curry's exceptional performance as Gomez.
4. The Addams Family - 5.8/10
The 2019 animated film, The Addams Family, is a love letter to everything that has made the franchise endure for as long as it has. Their designs are akin to the original cartoon, while the humor is reminiscent of all other iterations before it. However, the film also gives viewers an origin to the family and how they met characters like Lurch and ended up in their cozy and creepy home. The film's biggest strengths come from its lessons in accepting who a person is and an individual's decision to embrace their own identity. Since its release, the film's success has earned it a sequel set to release this October.
3. Halloween with the New Addams Family - 6.0/10
Halloween with the New Addams Family was a made-for-TV movie that was released in 1977. The film acted as a reunion which saw the original cast of the show return 11 years after it was canceled. The movie is set during Halloween and features sitcom-like antics that include the Addams' house being broken into while Gomez is away. There's also a subplot with Gomez's brother Pancho trying to steal Morticia from him. The stakes in the film aren't overly grand, but it works well, as it reminds viewers of the original series and lets them see how their favorite family has been since the series ended.
2. Addams Family Values - 6.8/10
Addams Family Values was released in 1993 and is best known for adding another member to the household, baby Pubert. However, the film's main plot follows Fester, who appears to have finally found love and gets married. But it's quickly revealed that the woman he has married is actually a black widow trying to kill Fester and obtain the family fortune. Following its release, the sequel to Sonnenfeld's The Addams Family was met with equal or greater reviews as it recaptures what made the original so fun. By adding new factors, like Fester's marriage or a new child, it showed how the franchise wasn't afraid to grow from the family dynamic that had already been established for decades.
1. The Addams Family - 6.9/10
Taking the top spot is 1991's The Addams Family. Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfeld took the reigns of a property that hadn't had a live-action feature since Halloween with the New Addams Family and reinvigorated the franchise. The film had an all-star cast, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston and Christopher Lloyd. The film maintained the creepy sensibilities that made the franchise endure for so many decades. However, what made it successful was how it juxtaposed early '90s lifestyles. The film follows Gomez as he wrestles with the return of his amnesiac brother Fester, who is secretly trying to steal his family fortune. The film was met with a positive response and not only resurrected the franchise, but also greenlit an equally successful sequel.