Rihanna's new film is a colorful, musical adventure that younger audiences and fans will enjoy. Smurfs celebrates uniqueness and silliness with a message that sometimes gets lost in the chaos.
Smurfs Review
The Smurfs have been around since 1958, when Belgium comic artist Peyo introduced the blue community to the world. When I was growing up, I remember seeing old Smurf cartoons on Saturday mornings, mixed in with the likes of Heathcliff, Scooby-Doo, and The Flintstones. They were never my favorite, but I did enjoy their whimsical little world and specially named Smurfs. Over the years, The Smurfs have resurfaced in various iterations from animated series to that 2011 movie that was borderline nightmare fuel for how they were animated. Now that a new batch of young movie goers have reached the right age, it's time for the Smurfs to make their way back onto the big screen. This time, Rihanna is in charge of this blue-fueled chaos machine.
Smurfs is a colorful, musical adventure geared towards the youngest members of the audience, with as many “kid movie” tropes that can fit into 92 minutes. Sure there are some adult jokes (the Smurf-off scene is very much like the beach-off in Barbie) and easter eggs for longtime fans to catch, but this is 100%, without a doubt meant for the littles. There is a lot of action happening in a short period of time, with not much breathing room for the core part of the story. This is something that will frustrate some but likely to go over the heads of most of the children. It's not bad, per se, it's fine, it's just not something I could see families wanting to revisit in the future. But it's silly, amusing, and Rihanna's Smurfette is my favorite iteration of the character. In fact I would like to see more of her and less of No Name –no offense– so not the worst way to spend a day at the movies.
In Smurf Village, every Smurf has a role to play (and name to match). There is Papa Smurf (John Goodman), Smurfette (Rihanna), etc. But then there is No Name (James Corden), a Smurf without a job or a thing that makes him special. Thousands of options have been floated his way but nothing seems to be his thing, especially not clog making. That was a disaster. One day though, No Name discovers he has magic, thanks to Jaunty (Amy Sedaris), one of several magic books that the evil wizard council –led by Gargamel, brother of Razamel (both voiced by JP Karliak)– is after. No Name's journey leads The Smurfs to the real world, another dimension, and even brings the evil wizard to their doorsteps.
One of the aspects of this film I really enjoyed was the animation. It's a blend of CGI with Peyo's original comic style. This combination makes the characters really pop on the screen, with vivid expressions and dynamic movements. The slapstick comedy is zany, invoking that classic cartoon feeling for those of us who have known The Smurfs for a while. Even in the real world, the film never looks dull or uninspired. The team really made things vibrant no matter the time or place. It needs to be mentioned again, that this time around the Smurfs look great and nothing like their nightmare aesthetic of 2011.
Smurfs celebrates uniqueness and what it means to discover yourself, living your truth on your own terms. It's sweet, thoughtful, and something I wish the film had leaned into more. Smurfette's unflinching support of No Name's journey is the emotional core of the film, but it often gets passed over in favor of the spectacle of it all. It's a shame that Pam Brady's script didn't spend more time with these two, because it would've made the experience richer. Children can handle more complex stories, look at Inside Out 2 or How To Train Your Dragon, you just have to find the balance between fun and serious.
Despite the lack of depth, there are some standout performances from the stacked cast. There are hundreds of Smurfs and not all of them will get screen time, even if they get a mention or two. Instead the script focuses on Smurfette, No Name, Hefty, Brainy, Worry, Grouchy, Vanity, Sound Effects Smurf, and Ken (Nick Offerman) with some feeling more underutilized than others. However, Rihanna is great in this role, giving Smurfette the right amount of love, sass, and fortitude needed to be the only female Smurf in the village. Plus she loves fries and eats them when she's anxious. Okay bestie. Offerman is reliable as always. Ken gives off some Ron Swanson vibes that I was not mad about. Karliak pulls double duty here and has a lot of fun with it. Loved his bickering, with himself.
Verdict
Smurfs is a vibrant, musical, and chaotic adventure that sees our tiny friends go on an adventure of a lifetime. The animation is a highlight, as is Rihanna's new song. Though I had some issues with it, I did appreciate that director Chris Miller made his Smurf movie more Smurf-like, aiming to get back to the whimsy of these bright blue characters. It keeps in the spirit of the original comics and that is important when dealing with these infamous creatures. Celebrating uniqueness is something I feel The Smurfs have been champions of for a long time and this film is no different.
The slapstick humor, pop culture references (some are pretty dated), and colorful environments are sure to keep the whole family engaged throughout the brisk runtime. I found myself chuckling a few times and the younger kids in the audience definitely enjoyed themselves. Since they are the target audience, I'll call it a win. If Paramount gets the hit they are after, I think there is enough good here to make another film, I just hope they give the story more weight and steer away from the shallowness of this one.
Smurfs is in theaters July 18. It is rated PG for action, language and some rude humor with a runtime of 92 minutes.
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