Smurfs

Runtime : 1 hour 26 minutes
Cast : Alan Cumming, Anton Yelchin, George Lopez, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Kenan Thompson, Neil Patrick Harris, Paul Reubens, Sofia Vergara

This movie directed by Raja Gosnell; written by J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, based on a story by Mr. Stem and Mr. Weiss and the characters and works of Peyo; director of photography, Phil Méheux; edited by Sabrina Plisco; music by Heitor Pereira; production design by Bill Boes; costumes by Rita Ryack; visual effects supervisor, Richard R. Hoover; produced by Jordan Kerner; released by Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation.

In fairness, you probably haven't got high hopes for this year's movie adaptation of The Smurfs. Why would you? After all, the Garfield movie was horrible and the Scooby-Doo movie was horrible and the Marmaduke movie was horrible and Transformers and Yogi Bear and Alvin and the Chipmunks were all horrible. Why set yourself up for another disappointment?

The funniest moments in “The Smurfs,” a new 3-D movie featuring the old gang familiar from the 1980s television series, are either raunchy or scandalous, as much as that is possible in a half-animated film with a PG rating. There’s a scene in which a Scottish Smurf in a kilt recreates the Marilyn Monroe subway grate display. There’s a rude bit involving a portable toilet.

In general, it’s hard to recommend The Smurfs to anyone but parents looking to take their children out for an innocent time at the movies. That said, given the mixed messages of the narrative as well as the lengthy focus on an adult storyline, you might want to take the kids to Winnie the Pooh instead. Undoubtedly, some older moviegoers will still journey to the theater and enjoy the slapstick action in The Smurfs but most filmgoers who enjoyed the cartoon (or comic strips) as a kid will very likely be left with the taste of sour Smurfberries in their mouth.

Posted in: Entertaiment,Movie Reviews