Fans of the original Smurfs will probably eat up the Smurfs 2 like a bunch of Smurf-berries. Detractors of the original will most likely want to lob the Smurf-berries at the screen.
The Smurfs 2 isn’t the worst movie I’ve seen this year (that distinction still goes to the Evil Dead reboot), but it certainly won’t make my top ten either. It’s a pleasant enough way to spend ninety or so minutes, but the film must doesn’t’ work as well as other family-targeted summer fare like Despicable Me 2 or Monster’s University.
Thanks to the power of YouTube, Gargamel has become a world-famous magical act, packing in audiences across the globe. There’s just one problem – his act’s magic is power by Smurf-essence and he’s running low.
In order to replenish is supply, Gargamel plots to kidnap Smurfette and force her to reveal the formula that turned her into a real Smurf at the end of the last movie. His plan is helped by the fact that in their enthusiasm to plan a surprise party for her, the entire Smurf village has made Smurfette feel unappreciated.
He’s helped by his two grey-skinned “Naughties” who were created at the same time as Smurfette. The trio bond and Gargamel seeks to exploit this to move forward his nefarious plot.
In order to rescue her, Papa Smurf, Clumsy, Vanity and Grouchy all head back to the real world (first New York, then Paris) to convince her to come back home again.
And hilarity ensues.
There’s nothing patently terrible about The Smurfs 2, but there’s nothing patently great about it either.
Of course, I say this having only had to see the movie once and not having children who will demand to watch it over and over again when the film eventually hits home theater.
There were a few amusing moments peppered throughout the script, most of them involving Azrael the cat being smarter than Gargamel. The film’s theme about family is nicely done though a bit heavy-handed at times.
As I said before, not the best movie of the year, but certainly not the worst.
Leave a Reply