There are few film series where the third installment matches the quality of the first two. Filmmakers often falter in the second film before recovering in the third. However, Hotel Transylvania 3 deviates from this pattern, venturing into completely new territory. While this approach holds promise, the final result unfortunately falls short.
Dracula is experiencing burnout and loneliness. To lift his spirits, his daughter Mavis arranges a monster cruise that takes them from the Bermuda Triangle to the lost city of Atlantis. Aboard the ship, Dracula becomes infatuated with the elegant and stylish captain, Ericka. However, Ericka harbors ulterior motives for the Count, and his old adversary, Van Helsing, lurks in the shadows.
Van Helsing is a man with a plan.
As I noted in my review of Coco, two elements can detract from the viewing experience: dubbing and 3D. Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation unfortunately featured both. While Coco transcended language barriers due to its exceptional quality, the Swedish dubbing of Hotel Transylvania 3 negatively impacted the experience. This isn’t due to poor performance by the Swedish voice actors, but rather because the film’s humor and structure are intrinsically linked to the original American voice cast’s interpretations and comedic timing. Upon revisiting the American trailer, the difference between it and the dubbed film is significant (compare the two trailer versions below). While the film is primarily targeted at children, who may not be as sensitive to dubbing, it detracted from my enjoyment and influenced my rating. I plan to review the Blu-ray release to assess whether my perception of the English version being superior is accurate.
Beyond the dubbing, the film suffers from other shortcomings. The narrative is straightforward and predictable. The trailer reveals the film’s primary twist (a common issue with modern trailers). While there are a few amusing moments, they elicit smiles rather than genuine laughter. This seemed to resonate with the younger audience as well, as the theater was unusually quiet.
The film also exhibits a lack of polish. The initial sequence is jarring due to the inconsistent mixing of English and Swedish text, with “present day” appearing alongside the Swedish title and voiceover. Furthermore, the credits fail to list the Swedish voice actors, including Kim Sulocki (the lead role). While seemingly minor, these details highlight a significant difference in production quality compared to studios like Disney. The animation, while competent, lacks a certain finesse.
What are the redeeming qualities? Unfortunately, not many. As mentioned previously, there are a few entertaining moments, but the film generally plods along until the final battle. This sequence is underwhelming and repetitive, failing to achieve its intended impact.
Director Genndy Tartakovsky, who helmed the previous two films, which were generally enjoyable and successful, may have suffered from the reliance on the comedic talents of Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, and the rest of the cast. The humor appears to lose its impact in translation. Moreover, the emotional depth present in the first two films is noticeably absent in this installment.
Look out for my Blu-ray review later this fall to see if my rating changes. As it stands, I cannot rate this film any higher.
Swedish trailer:
Comparison with the original English trailer:
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