Ready for my first hot take of the Halloween season? Rob Zombie is the closest thing we have to a modern-day Alfred Hitchcock. There. I said it. And I’m not taking it back. Sure Mr. Zombie’s grizzly appearance and long dreads bare absolutely zero resemblance to the portly physique Mr. Hitchcock rocked, but I’m sure you’re catching what I’m throwing. Rob Zombie cut his teeth as an alternative rock and metal evil wizard first with White Zombie and then with his killer solo career. Since the early 2000s, Zombie began spending time in the work of film by writing and directing a string of uniquely gory, gross and glorious horror flicks. His latest creation, “The Munsters” is a soft reboot/prequel to the fantastic 1960s series. This isn’t the first time Zombie has dabbled in remakes, but is the first time he’s really missed the mark.
Full disclosure, Rob Zombie is one of my favorites…in general. Musician, filmmaker, person. He just rules. Nobody wants to dig through the ditches and burn through the witches more than this guy right here but I have to say, I’m perplexed by “The Munsters.” Aesthetically, it’s gorgeous. Lush and vibrant, the colors explode off the screen, reminiscent of “The Wizard of Oz” and “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” The set designs and costume choices and color schemes burst with life; a hell of a lot more life than any of the characters. And therein lies the issue with the film.
Some Character Development Problems Present
Now I know Herman Munster was brought back to life from the dead. Yet his character is so lifeless. Flat jokes, bad puns, and a real lack of any type of personality…there’s not a lot going on there. Lily Munster, played by Zombie’s wife Sheri Moon Zombie provides more character depth but in comparison, that isn’t saying much. Her interpretation of the character feels truer to the original version; and as she is in all of her husbands films, she is enjoyable, if not limited. Rounding out the trio of main characters is Grandpa. He delivers the best lines of the movie and anytime he pops to life on screen, there is a definite improvement in feel and tone.
I won’t bore you with a plot recap because I’m not really sure what the plot is. Zombie usual Richard Brake and “Lost” alumni Jorge Garcia are near intolerable as Dr. Wolfgang and Floop, respectively. Their dialogue will make you long for the days of silent horror films. Their banter is as bland as their acting is unnatural. Which kills me to say because Richard Brake is so good in my favorite “Batman” film ever as well as other Zombie flicks “31” and “3 From Hell.”
Some Fun to Be Had, but Has Very Little Substance
Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster. (Photo: Netflix).
If you love Rob Zombie’s style of over the top obscenities and gore, you may be let down here. If you are a lifelong fan of “The Munsters” hoping for the second coming of one of the greatest television shows of its era, you will most certainly be let down. There was a lot of buzz about this and unfortunately, its all style and very little substance. We didn’t need this; and while there are a hell of a lot of worse films to watch for Halloween out there, the best way to sum this one up is unnecessary. Like Fred Gwynne—the original Herman Munster—once said, “Sometime, dead is better.” “The Munsters” more than prove his point.
“The Munsters” is available to stream on Netflix.
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