The Munsters – Netflix Review (2/5)

THE MUNSTERS on Netflix is a reboot of the popular (even iconic) 1960s TV show. This feature film is by horror filmmaker Rob Zombie and has a great cast. While charming and fun, it’s also too long. Read our full The Munsters (2022) movie review here!

THE MUNSTERS is a new Netflix addition that is all about nostalgia. It’s a reboot of the 1960s sitcom TV show about various classic monsters. Basically, a form a horror-comedy made in the comic book style you know from the old Batman TV show.

As much as I did enjoy this feature film reboot for the first 30 minutes or so, it just gets to be a bit much. Then again, I didn’t grow up with the original TV show. And I expect those that did won’t be too crazy about this reboot. But hey, I might be wrong, so do check it out for yourself.

Personally, I am really looking forward to another kind of reboot of another monster show. More on that in the next part of this review.

Continue reading our The Munsters movie review below. Out on Netflix from September 27, 2022.

Don’t expect The Addams Family

If you’re going into The Munsters on Netflix, thinking this is a kind of The Addams Family, then I’m afraid you’re in a for disappointment. The Munsters is not The Addams Family. Of course, there are quite a few similarities, but the style is very different.

Sure, both mix comedy with monsters and are essentially fantasy mixed with horror-comedy. However, since The Munsters is based on a 1960s TV show – and pays homage to this – it’s a lot wackier in many ways.

Personally, I am really looking forward to another Netflix addition due out in just under two months: Wednesday. The new Netflix series about Wednesday Addams in school. That new Netflix series is from Tim Burton. The new The Munsters reboot is from Rob Zombie.

Classic Rob Zombie

The two [The Munsters movie and Wednesday series] are exactly as different as you’d expect from the two filmmakers. Tim Burton is colorful and wacky but works with style and visuals in a very Tim Burton-way. Rob Zombie is being true to the classic TV show while sprinkling it with nuggets of the Rob Zombie-way throughout.

While Rob Zombie does tend to make really brutal and gruesome horror movies about the Devil’s Reject and Lords of Salem, he is also a filmmaker who loves classic horror stories. And who loves using the same actors. Something many of my favorite directors do – Mike Flanagan is a perfect example of this.

Most notably, Sherri Moon Zombie plays one of the lead characters Lily. While I enjoy her mannerisms as Lily, I don’t think the spoken dialogue is as strong. However, I do find Richard Brake (Bingo Hell) to be awesome as Dr. Wolfgang. Also, Jorge Garcia (Lost) is perfect as Floop.

Maybe that’s why I loved the beginning, where these two got lots of screen time.

Watch The Munsters on Netflix in the US now!

As mentioned many times already, Rob Zombie is the filmmaker behind this reboot. He is both the writer and director of The Munsters and he clearly had fun – as did, I suspect, the entire cast. You’ll see many familiar faces (though often somewhat disguised) over the entire runtime.

Because The Munsters is essentially a reboot of a 1960s sitcom made into a feature film by a horror director, it could be both horror and comedy. However, the tribute to the original is very much at the forefront. As a result, this movie is a lot more comedy than it is horror.

I can accept (and respect) that, just as I think this could be great for kids. However, I’m not sure they would enjoy it much. I suspect it will be very individual. Also, it really is too long – even with the almost 10-minute-long end-credit shenanigans, which are also good fun.

The Munsters is out on Blu-ray, On-Demand, and on Netflix in the US from September 27, 2022.

Details

Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Stars: Richard Brake, Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Daniel Roebuck, Jorge Garcia, Sylvester McCoy, Cassandra Peterson, Dee Wallace, Catherine Schell