WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Addams Family 2, now in theaters and on-demand.
In The Addams Family, whether it be the old TV show, cartoons or the '90s movies, one character that hasn't gotten much of the spotlight is the giant butler Lurch. He makes cameos in bit-part comedy relief roles, not saying or doing much other than intimidating people with his size. However, the animated sequel The Addams Family 2 finally gives him the spotlight as he strikes musical gold.
Lurch steps up big time, getting a lot more personality as a guardian and caretaker when Wednesday tests Gomez's DNA and deduces he's not her dad. She wants to go to Cyrus Strange, thinking the genius scientist is her real father, but rather than stop her, Lurch accompanies her. He gives her a ride on his shoulder, reasoning that he's not blood-related to the Addams either -- he was retrieved from an asylum -- so he understands her need to find her lineage and real family. But as he babysits, they end up in a seedy biker bar trying to find a way to Sausalito. The goons square them up for a scrap, with Wednesday telling Lurch to show the thugs what he can do with his cold, dead hands.
However, rather than fight, Lurch hits the piano and belts out an amazing rendition of "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. It's a testament to his pre-The Addams Family 2 life and Wednesday's resilience, which lures the bikers in. A brilliant musical session breaks out, with perfect dance choreography and Lurch's smooth R&B voice winning the night. Everyone unites and as musical kindred spirits, they take the duo cross-country and drop them off at Cyrus' home.
Once there, Lurch gets another big play. When they realize Strange has duped them to steal intel from Wednesday's experiments, Lurch sets himself up to fight Strange's own giant henchman, Pongo. But as they barrel into each other, rather than brawling like Godzilla and Kong, the behemoths embrace and kick Strange around instead.
It turns out, they were friends at the asylum and Pongo had secretly warned Lurch about Strange. It's why he insisted on coming with Wednesday after the two parties met earlier in The Addams Family 2. And this time, when Wednesday tells him to show what he can do, Lurch uses his fists, rather than his voice, to wreak havoc against a petrified Strange.
It's a powerful arc, gifting him more agency while showing he's still human, after all. This also allows him to dump Strange in ooze, mutating him into a kaiju to give the Addams' a run for their money if they plan to survive. Ultimately, Lurch stands with them, finally getting a piece of the action and showing Wednesday he's got the hands and pipes to protect them all.
See how Lurch gets to shine at last on the mic and in the battlefield in The Addams Family 2, now in theaters and on-demand.
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