Movie Review: Smurfs

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D-

A family movie that is simultaneously bland and annoying.

This is very clearly a case of a movie trying too hard, something that is evident from the very start. The film starts with a narrator explaining the lore in a way that seems like the movie trying too hard to be some kind of epic, which is immediately undercut by some immature and unfunny humor that is once again trying too hard. This is immediately followed by a hip-hop musical sequence that is the cinematic equivalent of an elderly grandparent trying to sound hip and modern. This over effort is apparent in every musical sequence and comedic moment, each which try too hard to be hip and modern, despite the fact that hip and modern is never what the Smurfs were intended to be. When the humor is not trying to be hip and modern, it is trying for some absurdist comedy. However, this comedy is done so poorly that it instead simply comes out as feeling simply random.

Meanwhile the story is completely bland and overly familiar. The story of a Smurf trying to find what his gift is, when all the other Smurfs have their gifts as well as the Smurfs stopping an evil wizard is typical Saturday morning fare. Unfortunately, the film just seems to be going through the motions with this storyline. The filmmakers just give us the familiar beats without any heart. 

Combining the humor and musical numbers with this bland story makes this a strange combination of a movie that both tries too hard and simply goes through the motions without any heart or passion.  

The best thing about seeing this movie is that it was preceded by a short SpongeBob cartoon. That short cartoon is delightful, funny and simply a treat for cartoon fans.