One Minute Movie Review: The Smurfs

Not to long ago, I had a conversation with a fellow film buff and jokingly made the comment, "Hollywood has made so many bad films it is apparent they have run out of good ideas, the next thing you know they will make a movie about the Smurfs!" I have now learned the indispensable lesson, to consider what one says. So how does one measure a movie about the subject of Smurfs in this brave new world? Good question, obvious answer, it was goofy, sappy, and cartoonish, which in this case can play as either a positive or bad review depending on how one looks at it and your age range. The cartoon itself was ridiculously sappy and annoying, so in the case of staying true to form, it is a win. However, that would suggest that sappy and annoying is enjoyable. A fan of any Jack Black, Adam Sandler, or Will Ferrell vehicle might fare well riding the little blue wave. If one enjoys good cinema, it would not be rented in the first place or even heard of it, so the point is mute. The special effects are ok, but nowhere near the caliber of other live action meets CGI fares. As far as the acting, if Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays, (and if anybody can, please let me know who she is), if their performances were any more phoned in they would have needed a long term contract with Verizon. Now, there was one upside, Hank Azaria, one of the least known but most talented character actors on the market, steals what there is of this film, rebooting the role of Gargamel. He brings a level of quick wit and satire with such lines as, "I can not quit you, " as he laments to the infamous Azrael the cat among many other subtle quips that I giggled to. The film finds moments to poke fun of itself, but the story is just too immature to retain any interest. The ending is too predictable and silly to bother. 1 out of 5 Kernels: this was a smurfing tragedy of a movie, and I'll never recover one smurfing moment I wasted watching it.