As recent Adam Sandler comedies go, you could do a lot worse than “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”

The latest installment of the animated franchise does a good job playing to its target audience, but it really doesn’t have enough sustained moments to keep parents interested as well. The result is a well-meaning family film that likely won’t have the broad appeal that is intended.

Still, that is high praise for Sandler at this point in his career – especially when it comes to his comedies.

He is only a voice here, but his Dracula character in these films has plenty of the trademark Sandler ticks. The difference is it actually works, or at least somewhat works, in this animated format and doesn’t feel stale yet – even though we have reached film No. 3 in this series.

What helps “Transylvania” stay somewhat fresh here is the decision to shift the story to a different locale. In “Summer Vacation,” Sandler’s Dracula has hit a rut in his career as the owner of a vacation resort, so his daughter Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) comes up with the idea of treating her dad – and the rest of the family – to a voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship.

Dracula is reluctant at first to have a good time, but things change when he becomes smitten with the ship’s Ericka (Kathryn Hahn).

The only problem with this is Ericka is a descendant of Dracula’s longtime nemesis Abraham Van Helsing and is intent on destroying Dracula and his family.

The cruise ship venue does at least create a few fun visual gags here and there, the best a running gag about the werewolves Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Wanda (Molly Shannon) enjoying newfound freedom when they realize the boat has a day care center where they can drop off their pack.

A dance off battle in the final act is also a bit funnier than it probably should have been.

But “Summer Vacation” doesn’t have enough moments to sustain interest for the parents who are coming along. Unlike “The Incredibles 2,” which found a way to balance the laughs for the kids and adults, “Summer Vacation” plays more to its target audience – thus making it a little more uneven for the adults.

I concede I am not the target audience for “Hotel Transylvania 3.” The kids in the screening I attended seemed to have a good time, so in that respect it serves its purpose.

But I feel like the film could have been a little more creative and reached a little more across the board with a bit of tweaking here and there. It’s not a total wash-out like “Show Dogs,” but as family movies go it could have given everyone a little more.

Starring: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez (voices)

Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky

Rating: PG for some action and rude humor

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)

Grade: C