This weekend saw the return of Dracula and the rest of Transylvania gang back in theaters for a sequel to the highly acclaimed animated film.

"Hotel Transylvania 2" featured Adam Sandler back in his main role as well as most of beloved cast, and takes place seven years after the events of the first movie. It also serves to introduce Count Dracula's father, Vlad, and his new grandson Dennis, a half-vampire that hasn't yet exhibited any vampiric traits.

The opening weekend broke September record numbers with a $47.5M North American debut. Here are some critic reviews:

Screen Rant

Screen Rant seemed to believe the movie fell flat for older audiences or those that weren't fans of the first film.

"Hotel Transylvania 2 is not going to win-over viewers who were underwhelmed by Hotel Transylvania. Tartakovsky's latest visit with Dracula and Mavis affords slight improvements over its predecessor, especially in terms of comedic restraint; yet, there still isn't much substance for older viewers."

The review stated that the movie instead offered "cute but brainless escapism for young moviegoers - as well as parents looking to distract their children for a few hours. It's a harmless CG kids film, one that will have no trouble entertaining its target audience; though, in a genre full of films that can pull double-duty as quality movies (not just quality kids movies), Hotel Transylvania 2's weak story is at odds with the imagination put into designs for the film's monstrous inhabitants."

Variety

Variety recognized the film's deeper message on open-mindedness, but sensed it became too bogged down with childish humor.

"In its portrait of two families struggling to accept a relative even though he may not conform to their preconceived ideals, "Hotel Transylvania 2" functions on a number of social-allegory levels, though a persecuted-gay subtext becomes most evident during a climax in which Mavis decries both Dracula and Johnny's parents' use of the term "normal" as a way to define her son."

The review adds that "any message about the need for open-mindedness in life and love, however, is muddled by a slapdash plot that ultimately cares less about taking a stand in favor of progressive values than it does in superficially employing such feel-good ideas for unimaginative, hyperactive adolescent slapstick."

Fandango

Fans on this review site seemed to have very positive responses, as they highlight how much their kids enjoyed it.

JB684 wrote, "This was a great movie, we saw on the first day it came out was a great movie by far kept my nine year old son laughing as well as his 40 year old patents [sic] laughing too!!! Recommended!!"

"Our boys absolutely loved this movie. Fantastic storyline that our sons could relate to. Ended too soon," Gordoanditaplus2 wrote.