The Addams Family

For a movie about people obsessed with death, The Addams Family feels much too lively.

This frenetic animated reimagining of the 1960s sitcom (and preceding comic strip) can’t recapture the offbeat spirit of its source material, nor does it match the quirky charm of the two 1990s live-action cinematic adaptations.

In other words, this new kid-friendly resurrection isn’t equipped with much nostalgia for fans of previous incarnations, nor will it inspire a new generation of acolytes to its playfully macabre brand of humor.

It begins with the eccentric titular outcasts moving into a hillside mansion in New Jersey, basking in doom and gloom. We meet jovial patriarch Gomez (voiced by Oscar Isaac), his wife and tango partner, Morticia (Charlize Theron), their fiercely sardonic daughter, Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz), their pyromaniac preteen son, Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard), dimwitted Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll), and a gigantic pianist butler known as Lurch. Amid various anthropomorphic objects, their pets include a lion, an octopus, and a disembodied hand called Thing.

Their solitary existence is interrupted by the relentlessly chipper host (Allison Janney) of a home-makeover show who has parlayed a redesign of the nearby subdivision into big ratings. And the Addams household doesn’t exactly fit the mold, which requires her to take drastic action.

As directed by the tandem of Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (Sausage Party), the film manages some scattered big laughs through an array of sight gags and one-liners, combined with some pop-culture references aimed more at adults. For example, Thing has an amusing foot fetish, and Lurch has a secret admiration for R.E.M. songs.

The stylish computer animation captures its ghoulishly idiosyncratic setting while suitably exaggerating the body shapes and facial features of its characters.

But the screenplay simply tries too hard, perhaps in an effort to pander to a target demographic with short attention spans. It wants to be an origin story and a suburban satire, with a lesson about acceptance and embracing our differences that’s delivered with minimal subtlety.

Supporting characters are left undeveloped, and a subplot involving the rebellious Wednesday’s passive-aggressive efforts to turn the tide on middle-school bullies never materializes.

What really kills The Addams Family, however, is that it’s not consistently funny. While the iconic theme song might leave you snapping your fingers, its awkward attempt to mix old and new will have you shaking your head.

Rated PG, 87 minutes.