The Smurfs (2011) Reviews

• Let's put it this way: My 5 year old walked out

  drew_atreides2011-07-30

  Took my 5 year old son to see this one at a Saturday Matinée. I can't remember the last time i saw a more un-engaging kids flick. My kid was noticeably bored from the word go, but i'll give him credit he was a trooper through the first half. I've seen him get restless before in the theatre, this one he was more or less falling asleep. When we got to the scene where Gargamel peed in the restaurant i was ready to check out, but i would brave it if my son was having a good time. Wonder of wonders, at that point he turned to me and said "Dad, i have to go to the bathroom, but when we're done there can we not come back into the theatre and just go home?" Tells you all you need to know about this one. Don't waste your time or your money.

• Hollywood, stop raping our childhood classics!

  t_atzmueller2011-08-02

  Clever producers and marketers have known it ever since: when in doubt, take some beloved children's comic-, cartoon- or toy-franchise and put them into a 'hip' contemporary setting (that's NYC or Los Angeles to you and me). This has worked many times before, having produced such monumental box-office hits like "Masters of the Universe", "The Neverending Story 3" and the record-breaking "Howard the Duck". Not to forget that epic events when Jason went to New York or when Mr. Bean went to Los Angeles. To paraphrase a currently fashionable comedian: all those films were "WINNING" … and so is "The Smurfs". Hollywood, we understand that a buck means more than anything to you but please – pretty please – stop raping our childhood classics. Mr. Spielberg, if you happen to read this, please: "LEAVE TINTIN ALONE!" So as to not let this review degenerate into a complete rant: the acting was alright (for your average children's TV-show ala Sesame Street) and Frank Azaria, well, let's just say that I liked his various voices in "The Simpsons". The real problem is the Smurfs themselves, who seem soul- and lifeless as, almost as if they had been created by a computer. How would I grade this calculated, corporate train-wreck? Well, I'll give it a finger but it certainly isn't the 'thumbs-up' one. Save a few bucks, rent the Hanna-Barbera "Smurfs"-series or treat yourself with the original, "The Smurfs and the Magic Flute". I'll be seeing you next year for the Hollywood remake of "Asterix the Gaul". I'll let you in on a secret: Asterix and Obelix go through a mystical time-gate and end up in New York, where they'll be playing Guitar Hero ™ with a former child-star – and it's in 3D! But all that's top-secret inside information. Now excuse me, I'll have to go and pass water over the grave of Peyo.

• Everyone involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

  Valmont742011-08-02

  I know film makers never set out to make an awful movie. In their heart they start the production with the hopes the final product will be a good one. But after seeing this, I wonder what they really had hoped for. Even during pre-production someone, a producer with some ounce of talent, should have hit the breaks on this one. In the end they all must have realised what a huge pile of toxic waste this is. If you're going to make an animated Smurf movie, then do so and let it be animated in it's own Smurf world. Don't involve real humans, animals, locations etc. The final product stink and everyone involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

• Smurfed Away My Money

  Fields2012011-07-30

  What was I thinking? I knew this movie was going to be bad, but yet I felt compelled to go see it for myself. I was never really a big fan of the Smurfs cartoon but yet I remember I wanted that Smurfs Atari game so bad. Later I found out that it was horrible but I'm sure I would have loved it as a kid. Why did I go see this? It's not completely terrible. Hank Azaria did a very good job playing Gargamel and I could actually see the cartoon counterpart that he was based on. I didn't see this in 3D but I can imagine it would be pretty entertaining to watch in that format. I just didn't pay for the 3D because I didn't want to pay more for a bad film, and I had been suffering with headaches lately. I didn't want to make it worse. With that being said, the film centers around the Smurfs escaping from Gargamel who found them in their village. In some weird way, they come across this portal they knew nothing about until that time, and they are forced to go into this portal in order to escape from Gargamel and his CG cat Azriel. There, the Smurfs stumble upon New York City where they find the care of Doogie Houser and his cute, pregnant wife. They must find a way back home while being hunted by Gargamel on the streets of New York, and Doogie is trying to not to get fired from his cosmetics job. One of my biggest problems is that I never felt connected to the Smurfs. The only ones that I really knew was Papa Smurf (who can ever forget Papa Smurf anyway), Smurfette and Clumsy Smurf who the only reason why I knew him is because they always reference how clumsy he is, gets left behind, and I knew that he was going to be the hero by the end of it all. Movie 101: If a character in your film is the underdog, he will always prevail in the end. This film is no exception. The film is basically sloppy writing through and through, especially in the ending. The film could have ended easily by having the adults handle all the work but we couldn't have a Smurfs climax without having them be the center of it. So they basically just have the adults just stand around somewhere as the Smurfs get their butts kicked by Gargamel. It's a kid's film and this film knows it. The kids will eat this up despite probably never seeing the cartoons. It wasn't the worst film I've seen but certainly not the greatest of kid's films. It was directed by Raja Gosnell. I should have stayed far away. Smurf you, Raja.

• Perfect Gargamel

  PosteLafayetteGav2011-11-28

  I am amazed that the average Mark for this film is so low. The film is very much made in the spirit of the cartoons and the live action mixed with cartoon special effects works really well. The key thing though is the performance of Hank Azaria as Gargamel. He is perfectly cast, a panto villain. I loved him. Doogie Howser is perfectly likable as is his screen wife. It's a nice film to watch, entertaining and surely ideal for young children. Unfairly ridiculed. It is really quite an old fashioned children's film and it is very colourful and with a lot of goodness. I think that maybe today's cynical world doesn't welcome something like this but that's a shame. If you want a nice easy to watch film for your innocent younger children then this is definitely for you or for adults who have never lost their inner child.