Early trick or treat for franchise fans

“ATTACK on Titan: End of the World”reveals the truth behind the invasion of gigantic monsters, but loses its mystique in the process.

‘Attack on Titan: End of the World’: Shaky sequel

THE SEQUEL to the horror-action flick released last August is a less grueling experience, with considerably less horrific scenes and more cleanly resolved conflicts. The film by Shinji Higuchi finally answers important questions raised in the previous film.

But the shaky second part of the live-action adaptation, which seemed to alienate a vocal number of the popular anime’s fans, definitively answers questions about the mysterious giant monsters called Titans.

The mystique of the human-eating creatures vanishes once some truths about them are revealed, but the story gets to focus more on its heavily conflicted characters, whose dynamics are shaken up quite interestingly.

The young soldier Eren (Haruma Miura) discovers a way to effectively fight and destroy the Titans, leading to more truths about the monsters and their connection to the remaining human populace.

The post-apocalyptic drama doesn’t quite plod, as key scenes often rush to the next, leading to a conclusion that, while inevitable, doesn’t evoke a more rewarding or satisfying feeling.

VAMPIRE Mavis (Selena Gomez) and son Dennis (Asher Blinkoff) are featured in “Hotel Transylvania 2,” about friendly monsters with strong family ties.

‘Hotel Transylvania 2’: Monster harmony

Another sequel, “Hotel Transylvania,” is sturdy and pleasantly surprising, the second part to the 2012 animated comedy that featured friendly and family-centric monsters. Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky of “Dexter’s Lab,” it brings back vampire lord Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler), whose similarly supernatural daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) ties the knot with her human lover Jonathan (Andy Samberg).

Not soon after, they welcome a new addition, Dennis (Asher Blinkoff) who doesn’t exhibit any vampire powers, a fact that his grand-dad is in denial about.

“Hotel Transylvania 2,” like the first movie, features and celebrates its tight-knit familial characters. A large part of the sequel focuses on their “otherness,” defining each as relatable in various ways.

The welcome absurdities of monster tales and related myths are still there, helping add texture to an already well-defined and visually cute world of harmonious “horrors.” It’s still fun, an unabashedly sweet take on mixed families and cultures.