The Smurfs- Movie Review

Directed By Raja Gosnell

Screenplay by J. David Stern, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, Story by Stern and Weiss, based on characters by Peyo

Running time: 102 minutes (1h, 42 mins.)

Rated PG (for some mild rude humor and action)

Distibutor: Sony (Columbia Pictures)

(Note: New features will be added to this review. The rating system now comes with noodles. You'll see.)

The Story:

While the Smurfs are preparing for the Blue Moon festival, the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) chases the Smurfs out of their village, they're forced through a portal which happens every hundred years or so, out of their world and into ours, landing in the middle of New York's Central Park and into the lives of Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace (Jayma Mays), a married couple with a baby on the way. Now with the couple taking care of them, the Smurfs must find a way to get back home before Gargamel catches up to them.

The Review:

I love the Smurfs. When I was a little child, I watched the show every time it was on. Then I grew up and it never saw play. Until I got satellite which happened earlier this year and I get to relive the good old times when I have the time (Teletoon Retro, weekday mornings at 10:00, by the way). When I heard there would a film based on them, I was extremely excited. Until I saw the trailer. My joy was smushed into a thousand pieces or in this case, smurfed into a thousand pieces. So now it's come to this. I expected myself to hate this movie and bash it in any way I possibly can after. But now that I've actually seen the film, it wasn't bad. Not even close to bad, suprisingly. As a Smurf fan, it's a fair piece of work. However, that doesn't mean the film is flawless. Trust me, it comes with plenty and that sort of drags the film. Some of these flaws come from the script. It gives the Smurfs things to do, but things that we've seen so many times in these kinds of films. Parts of the dialogue don't really work especially the one line that really made me cringe. When Harris' character is tied by the blue creatures, he screams to Mays, "Do not be fooled by their cuteness!". It was heard a lot in the tv spots and was put up on billboards, but hearing it on the big screen was even worse.

Some of the perfomances (Live-action and Voice cast) are okay. NPH did better than I thought he would. He's undeniably talented and uses some of that talent during the film's emotional scenes. Mays was alright, but I felt bad for Sofia Vergara. A talented actress like her was almost wasted in this film. She didn't have much to do. Just boss Harris around, that's all. It's as if the role wasn't really written for her and probably for another person. I'm glad they got Jonathan Winters to voice Papa Smurf. He did voice Grandpa Smurf for the animated series. Anton Yelchin was pretty good as Clumsy, same with Alan Cumming, George Lopez was okay and Katy Perry was suprisingly decent as Smurfette. But the one who stole the whole show has Hank Azaria. The audience I saw it with could clearly tell he was having fun with this and so could I. His performance as Gargemel was truly in touch with the cartoon and whenever he did something silly or say something silly, I couldn't help but laugh. Azaria is the best thing about the film. So parents, if you take your kid to see this, see it for him. He'll keep you wide awake.

As I mentioned before, the film is a pretty fair introduction to kids who may be unfimiliar to the lovable blue things, although I suggest watch the cartoon and read the comics first. Also, check out the Smurfs' first feature film, The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. I don't think it's avaliable on DVD, so watch it on YouTube. As a Smurf fan, it was okay for me. I wasn't too satisfied, but then again, I didn't feel like my money was entirely wasted. (Don't get the wrong idea, I saw it with my family.)

Rating- 2.8/5 (A fair amount of noodles)