‘Smurfs' Review: Don't Stop the Music
This feature film, ostensibly a reboot of a franchise that began in 2011 with a picture called 'The Smurfs,' is the most lavish and possibly bizarre cinematic take on these folk. Here, Smurfette (voiced by Rihanna), leads her fellow Smurfs on a mission to save Papa Smurf (voiced by John Goodman), who has been kidnapped.
The little fellas and lone Smurfette speak as the Smurfs always have — that is, they say things like 'You Smurfs don't know Smurf about Smurf.' The word 'Smurf' can be a noun, verb or a gerund.
Each Smurf in Smurf Village serves a specific function or has a specific trait; Brainy Smurf can solve problems, while Vanity Smurf is, well, vain. Into this mix arrives a Smurf who doesn't know his function because he doesn't have a name (voiced by James Corden). From this introduction the viewer is catapulted into a singing, dancing multidimensional romp in which, among other things, four books are responsible for maintaining balance in the universe. (I was disappointed to learn they were not Lawrence Durrell's 'Alexandria Quartet.')
The loopy plot allows the director Chris Miller to unleash visuals that get trippy to the extreme. There's a clever sequence in which the characters traverse planes of reality that tell a short history of animation itself. It's refreshing to see children's animation makers use surrealism, instead of winking pop-culture references, to charm adults.
The excellent voice cast features Goodman and Nick Offerman as dueling patriarchs. They're all very zippy, or if you wish, Smurfy.
SmurfsRated PG. Running time: 1 hour 32 minutes. In theaters.
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