‘The Munsters’ Review: A Monstrous Attempt at a Nostalgia-Filled Classic

Rob Zombie’s new remake of “The Munsters” debuted on Sept. 27, surpassing expectations in a few key ways, while all other critical factors fell flat. This movie is Zombie’s first film reboot project since his “Halloween” and “Halloween II” reboot movies — both made over a decade ago to mixed reception — so his fans may not have had high hopes for this new attempt at reviving a past series. Ultimately, this version of “The Munsters” falls short in capturing what made the original show so engaging for audiences when it was first released in the 1960s and during the reruns that kept audiences captivated for decades.

But what made the original Munsters so beloved by audiences across such a long time? Simply put, “The Munsters” pushed the status quo of what a sitcom could depict. Before it aired, the idea of the classic American sitcom was one defined by shows like “I Love Lucy” and “Father Knows Best,” offering a look into idyllic American life accompanied by nuclear families, perfect suburban homes, and a life where your biggest problem was your neighbor who wouldn’t leave you alone. However, by the time this genre had been on the air for over a decade, many viewers desired something more than what the traditional sitcom had to offer, paving the way for shows that showcase more varied lifestyles such as “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “The Addams Family,” and, most importantly, “The Munsters.”

Zombie’s version of “The Munsters” primarily follows protagonist Lily Dracula (played by Zombie’s wife, Sheri Moon Zombie) as she searches for love with a fair amount of bumps in the road. However, Lily ultimately finds the love of her life in Herman Munster (Jeff Daniel Phillips), a Frankenstein-esque character created less than a week before he and Lily’s meeting. Fitting to the fast pace of this film, the couple head to the altar only a week after they meet, vowing to be there for each other until a “stake through the heart do them part.” The plot of this movie is all over the place, with Lily’s father, the one and only Count Dracula, driving most of the plot with his dislike of Herman at first glance. Eventually, the Count’s fears about Herman are validated, as Herman accidentally gives The Count’s mansion away to one of his ex-wives. With this new conflict for the family, they find themselves moving to a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles known as Mockingbird Heights, where they begin to resent the fact that their new home is surrounded by people living such idyllic, perfect lives.

“The Munsters” exceeds expectations in one key area: the attention to detail in both the set and costume design. From the comically decrepit suburban home that the family relocates to, to the club-like hideouts that many of the protagonists frequent back in their homeland of Transylvania, the film is quite visually pleasing. The exaggerated transitions that frequently drip, ooze, or flash only add to the visual flare of the film, drawing audiences in and making the hastily paced film feel more tolerable. Not once will viewers find themselves thinking that this movie is corny for cheap-looking costumes that look pulled from Party City because the costumes — like the rest of the visuals — look professionally made.

Perhaps the most major of this film’s shortcomings is the way that Zombie approaches comedy in the film. The first twenty minutes of this movie are dense with surface-level dialogue that tries and fails to entertain with a combination of a dad-humor and zany children’s show jokes. This movie tries to embrace corniness at times but falls short of humor or wit in a way that feels out of touch. For example, near the beginning of the movie, audiences see one of the creators of Herman Munster tell his co-creator that “he is simply dropping ice cold facts,” a line that feels both unnecessary and out of place. Still, there are redeeming qualities to the film’s humor, such as Herman’s cringey yet charming stand-up-comedy style one-liners (“A horse walks into the bar, the bartender says, ‘Why the long face?’”) Because of this strange combination of humor and style that guides the entire movie, audiences may wonder what demographic it is supposed to appeal to.

Ultimately, Zombie’s take on the “Munsters” story does not succeed as a reboot due to the fact that it is missing key concepts that made the original “Munsters” shine. Zombie’s version neglects the original series’ core themes of accepting others because of their differences and finding identity in a world where you are alone, which the classic captured so well.