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Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
REVIEW: 'Smurfs' get surreal, which might be lost on the kids
Published Jul 19, 2025 • 4 minute read No Name (James Corden) and Smurfette (Rihanna) in "Smurfs." Photo by Paramount Animation / Paramount Animation Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. The biggest surprise about the new 'Smurfs' movie was the smattering of applause that bubbled forth in the darkness of a recent, kid-friendly preview screening as the credits began to roll. But the animated film – a complicated portal-hopping adventure set in the (groan) multiverse that also incorporates a smattering of live action, mostly scenery and no actors – does have its moments. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account For instance, I briefly smiled when the titular blue 'rat-monkeys,' as the film's bad guy calls these troll-like imps, dimension-hop from one world to the next in an effort to save all that is good from the evil twin wizards Gargamel and Razamel (voice of JP Karliak). Each dimension is rendered, cleverly, in a distinct style of animation: stop-motion clay, a child's crayon drawing, 1970s-era 8-bit video graphics, subtitled Japanese anime and, for reasons I don't fully understand, one surreal undersea vignette featuring a talking tardigrade – a teensy creature that looks like a bug in a fat suit – voiced by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The surprise is not that anyone liked the film. There's no accounting for taste, especially when it comes to offbeat fare like the Smurfs, an intellectual property that has it roots in Belgium, where, in 1958, comic artist Pierre Culliford, working under the pseudonym Peyo, created them as Les Schtroumpfs, but that the robust clapping seems to have come almost entirely from grown-ups. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. During the movie, their young charges appeared to fidget and shift impatiently, greeting their parents' ovation by sitting on their hands or, more likely, using them to scratch their heads in confusion. The reaction from the children in the crowd seemed to echo the closing words of Rihanna, who as the character Smurfette, articulates what I imagine more than a few in the theatre may have been thinking: 'Don't crunch our brains so much!' The script by Pam Brady (a 'South Park' producer and writer of the R-rated films 'South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut' and 'Team America: World Police') is all over the map, sometimes quite literally. Director Chris Miller ('Puss in Boots') opens the action amid the mushroom-shaped houses of Smurf Village before switching to Paris – then the Australian Outback, Munich and points beyond. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It begins by presenting a bit of lore that is easily the most unsettling thing about Smurfdom: the fact that Smurfette, the lone female among a host of males, was created from clay by the evil wizards specifically to lure the Smurfs into their clutches. More tedious scene-setting follows. Smurfette explains that all Smurfs, like Snow White's dwarfs, are named for character attributes: Hefty, Lazy, Handy, Grouchy, etc. All Smurfs, that is, except Smurfette – she's just a girl, it's implied, isn't that enough? – and one called No Name (James Corden), who hasn't yet found his thing, although he aspires to become a practitioner of the magic arts. No Name's search for identity is really what propels this overly busy story forward, in an otherwise perfunctory plot about good vs. evil that gets underway after Smurf patriarch Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is kidnapped by the wizards' factotum, Joel (Dan Levy). This precipitates a delegation of Smurfs to go on a quest, seeking help from someone named Ken – whoever and wherever he may be – as Papa urged them to do just before he got sucked into a black hole-like vortex in the sky. Other portals include the horn of a gramophone. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yes, the story is hard to follow, and not just for youngsters. (I would urge you not to try.) It involves appearances by a Parisian neighbourhood watch group run by – well whaddya know? – a second female Smurf, called Moxie (Sandra Oh); a hairball-looking thing with the flatulent-sounding moniker of Mama Poot (Natasha Lyonne); and a magical talking book who goes by Jaunty (Amy Sedaris). Each of these characters has more or less zilch to do with the predictable message of the story, which is, as spelled out by Smurfette to No Name: 'You've got a lot more magic in you than you think. You've just got to let it out.' The more interesting question is 'Who is 'Smurfs' actually playing to?' On the one hand, its predictable reliance on naughty wordplay, inspired by the seemingly limitless meanings of the words 'smurf' and 'smurfy' (e.g., 'I think I smurfed my pants') would seem to suggest grade school. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. On the other hand, the movie really leans into the self-referential absurdism. After a scene featuring No Name riding in the pouch of a bouncing CGI mama kangaroo as Smurfette sings to him, 'Don't ever give up,' No Name breaks the fourth wall by saying out loud what the rest of us are thinking: 'That part with the kangaroo was a little weird.' True, but never quite weird enough. 'Smurfs' may be all over the multiverse, but it doesn't land anywhere worth writing home about. – – – Two stars. Rated PG. At theatres. Contains action, coarse language and some rude humour. 89 minutes. Rating guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. MMA World Toronto & GTA Celebrity Tennis
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Smurfs Review: Chris Miller's animated film on a Smurf's identity crisis, finds itself unable to decide what it really wishes to be
Plot In the cheerful Smurf Village, life is all about dancing, singing, and celebrating under the watchful eye of Papa Smurf (John Goodman). Each Smurf has a unique trait, like Clumsy is clumsy, Brainy is smart, Grouchy is grumpy, and so on. However, there's one Smurf called No Name Smurf (James Corden), who's still searching for his purpose. When No Name accidentally discovers magical powers, it backfires, alerting the evil wizard Razamel and his brother Gargamel. They kidnap Papa Smurf, hoping to seize a powerful magical book he's hiding. Smurfette (Rihanna) leads No Name, Clumsy, Brainy, and others on a mission to rescue Papa Smurf. Can the Smurfs rescue the Papa Smurf. Is No Name finally able to find what he's really good at? Watch Smurfs to find out. What Works for Smurfs Smurfs knows how to keep things short and sweet, clocking in at just 90 minutes, which is perfect for the audiences of today. The pacing keeps the action moving, so there's always something colorful or silly happening on screen. A few moments really shine, like the scene where No Name finds magical powers, and when Smurfette tries explaining No Name that he will eventually find his purpose. The animation is vibrant. Some scenes, like the scene where No Name, Smurfette and Razamel hop dimensions are infact quite creative. The ending song in the film has a blend of Hindi and English lyrics, and it is good to the ears. What Doesn't Work for Smurfs Sadly, Smurfs feels confused about who it's for. Is it for little kids who love silly jokes, or older fans wanting a deeper story? The movie itself seems to have an identity crisis, much like No Name Smurf, unsure if it wants to be a wacky kids' flick or a grand adventure. The plot is all over the place, throwing in too many idead that don't quite connect. There are a few loopholes, too. For example, why would the magical book, which is so important, just tag along with the Smurfs to the villain's castle without any protection? The story rushes through key moments, leaving out explanations that could make things clearer, especially for kids. These jarring issues make Smurfs a rather underwhelming flick instead of something that would cheer you up. Watch the Smurfs Trailer Voices in Smurfs Rihanna shines as Smurfette. Her warm and lively voice gives the character, the spunk and charm. James Corden as No Name is heartfelt. John Goodman as Papa Smurf is wise and comforting. Other voice artists in the film also do well. Had the story had more impact, the amazing voice work would not go to waste. Final Verdict of Smurfs Smurfs is a mixed bag. It's a short, colourful film with a few laughs, but the clueless story sort of indicates that the creators don't know the audience that they are catering to. The stunning voice performances and vibrant animation go to waste because of the halfbaked story. If you're a Smurfs fan, you can give the film a try. There's no other compelling reason to watch this film. Smurfs plays in theatres now. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more such reviews.
Hype Malaysia
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
‘Smurfs' (2025) Review: Rihanna Powers A Blue-Hued, Music-Fuelled Reboot
La la la la la la—the glizzy blue creatures are back, louder, weirder, and bolder than ever. This vibrant reboot yanks the Smurfs out of their comfort forest and hurls them into a kaleidoscopic adventure full of teamwork, mischief, and Rihanna-led musical numbers. It's part multiverse romp, part pop concert, and entirely unserious—in the best way. What follows is a sugar rush of colour and chaos that doesn't always make sense, but never really needs to. It all kicks off with that familiar jingle—the classic Smurf chorus echoing through a peaceful village. Then, BAM: the vinyl scratches, the beat drops, and suddenly we're in a remix. A pulsing pop-dance track takes over, announcing that this film isn't here to coast on nostalgia. Instead, it's remixing the brand with glitter, lore, and musical energy. Now, this isn't the Smurfs' first time on the big screen. Back in the early 2010s, we got those New York-set live-action hybrids starring Neil Patrick Harris and Katy Perry as Smurfette. Those entries were best remembered for awkward human/Smurf bonding and a mildly alarming fixation on Smurfette's hair. 'Smurfs' is technically still a hybrid too—it's set across real-world locations like Paris, Munich, and the Australian Outback. And yes, there are CGI kangaroos. This time around, the humans mostly fade into the background. The Smurfs run the show. And visually, the film leans fully into vivid comic-book animation layered over striking live-action backdrops. Visually speaking, it's a welcome return to the source. The Smurfs now resemble the original creations of Belgian cartoonist Peyo—rounder, livelier, and full of expressive charm. They're also unbearably cute—like plushies brought to life with attitude. The animation embraces a bouncy, squash-and-stretch style, enhanced by action lines, zippy sound effects, and comic speech bubbles that sometimes pop into the 3D space and physically knock the Smurfs around. Meanwhile, before the mayhem kicks in, the film lays down its lore. Long ago, four magical books kept balance in the universe. But when a league of intergalactic evil wizards—Asmodius (Octavia Spencer), Chernobog (Nick Kroll), Jezebeth (Hannah Waddingham), and the particularly persistent Razamel (JP Karliak)—decide to erase all goodness, the books become targets. One of them, the sassy and sentient Jaunty Grimoire (Amy Sedaris), manages to escape and has been hiding ever since. Eventually, we shift to present-day Smurf Village. That's where we meet No Name (James Corden)—a Smurf without a defining trait, which in this world is a full-blown identity crisis. Every Smurf has something: baking, yelling, and doing sound effects. But No Name? Nothing sticks. He tries cobbling. He tries shark taming. Yeah, he even tries just… trying. Still, no dice. Thankfully, Smurfette (Rihanna) is always in his corner. She encourages him to keep experimenting. But in a place where your name is literally tied to your talent, not fitting in hits hard. Then comes a surprisingly emotional musical number. No Name sings about being the odd one out. That moment sparks something. Literally. He starts glowing, levitating, and—without meaning to—activates Jaunty Grimoire's hidden magic. That surge sends out a signal, and Razamel, ever watchful, locks on. Things escalate quickly. Razamel wastes no time. He rips a portal above Smurf Village, triggering a tidal wave of chaos. Smurfs get sucked into the void like blue jellybeans. Papa Smurf (John Goodman) tries to keep the village grounded. But just before he's pulled into the swirl, he shouts one final instruction: 'Find Ken!' It's cryptic, but it's all the Smurfs have left to go on. What follows is a whirlwind. The Smurfs launch into a globe-trotting mission packed with set pieces, songs, and rapid costume changes. It's chaotic, colourful, and honestly kind of adorable. One minute they're swinging through vinyl records, the next they're dodging kangaroo stampedes in the Australian Outback—yes, there are CGI kangaroos, didn't we say that before? The pace rarely slows down—sometimes to its detriment—but it stays energetic. Whether they're portal-hopping, glitter-dancing, or rapping to save the day, there's always a beat drop and a wink. Comparisons to Trolls are hard to avoid. Both films follow a duo—Branch and Poppy over there, No Name and Smurfette over here—on a vibrant, music-fueled journey through weird worlds. They're small. They're misunderstood. And they sing their way toward self-acceptance. Heck, some poofy hairy characters even show up later on. But where Trolls keeps its structure tidy and emotional arcs a little more clear, 'Smurfs' embraces the messy. It's more chaotic and less concerned with coherence than it is with colour and vibes. Still, this reboot feels more in tune with the spirit of the Smurfs than past efforts. It's not the classic version, sure—but expecting them to stay stuck in the '80s forever isn't exactly fair. And compared to the uncanny CGI cat that screeched through Times Square in the last franchise? We'll take vinyl portals any day. Yes, it still 'Roger Rabbits' its way through real settings. But here's the twist—the style never shifts. The Smurfs remain animated in every scene, whether they're tiptoeing across cobblestones or bounding through Outback dust. That consistency makes all the difference. As for the plot, it's your standard kid-friendly recipe. A chosen one. A glowing destiny. A big bad. And yes, a climactic moment where friendship unlocks the ultimate power. It's familiar, bordering on predictable. But 'Smurfs' isn't trying to be 'Inside Out'. It's here to entertain and get the kids bopping in their seats. In that, it mostly succeeds. The animation bursts with energy. The transitions snap and swirl. Visually, it's like licking a rainbow popsicle while bouncing on a trampoline. Along the way, the Smurfs cross paths with an ever-growing roster of oddball characters—like Natasha Lyonne's poofy-sphere Mama Poots, and eventually Ken (Kurt Russell), revealed to be Papa's long-lost brother. The lore keeps dropping, the cast keeps expanding, and the weirdness only escalates. Oh, and yes—Gargamel is still here in this version, along with a not-CGI – and frankly, cuter – Azrael. But this time, he's more of a lesser evil. The real threat comes from his more dangerous and unhinged brother, Razamel. Compared to the chaos Razamel unleashes, Gargamel almost feels like comic relief, a washed-up wizard just trying to keep up in this modern age. Toward the end, the film even swings big. As the Smurfs open portals to alternate worlds, the art style begins to shift. There's a Play-Doh world. A pencil sketch world. An Atari-style pixel universe. Even a full-blown anime sequence. It's brief but bold, evoking 'The Amazing World of Gumball' in its ability to play with form and tone. Musically? It gets the job done. But don't expect the next Timberlake bop like 'Can't Stop the Feeling.' Unlike 'Trolls' or 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', this soundtrack won't be dominating the radio waves. The songs are fine—forgettable outside the film, but fun in the moment. They move the plot, add emotion, and provide breathers between dimension-hopping chaos. What grounds the glitter is the film's core message. No Name's arc is about identity—about feeling out of place when everyone else seems to know exactly who they are. That's a resonant theme, especially for younger viewers still finding themselves. The film also values community. Every Smurf brings something to the table. And Papa Smurf's backstory adds a hint of guilt and redemption. The village, it turns out, was built as a second chance. It's not deep, but it gives the silliness a bit of weight. Then, of course, the final number hits. A glittery, pulsing, all-hands-on-deck dance sequence—because how else are you supposed to end a modern animated film? 'Smurfs' doesn't aim to reinvent the genre. But it embraces its chaos with confidence, cuteness, and charm. And it practically begs us: 'Please don't stop the music'. Sure, it's generic in parts—but the kids in our screening were laughing, singing, and vibing with the colours. And honestly? That's the only verdict that matters.
The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Seven arrest warrants issued in global swoop on suspected Russia-linked hackers
FILE PHOTO: Silhouette of mobile device user is seen next to a screen projection of binary code are seen in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo ROME/BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany and Spain issued arrest warrants for seven suspected members of a pro-Russian hacking group accused of carrying out cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, arms makers, power companies and public authorities. The warrants resulted from an international operation involving law enforcement and judicial authorities including the U.S., France, Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, German prosecutors and pan-European police agency Europol said in separate statements on Wednesday. German prosecutors said they had helped to coordinate the swoop on Tuesday in multiple countries in which 24 premises linked to the hacking group - which calls itself NoName057(16) - were searched, including one in Berlin and two in Bavaria in southeastern Germany. Germany issued six arrest warrants, five of them public, and Spain issued another. The NoName group had used the Telegram messaging app to enlist over 4,000 volunteers who made their systems available for swamping critical institutions' servers with so-called distributed denial of service attacks, the German prosecutors said. The premises searched included those linked to volunteers in the Telegram group, they said. In the past years the NoName collective, known for promoting Russian interests, has allegedly carried out successful cyberattacks in Ukraine and on government, infrastructure, banking, health services and telecom websites in European countries that have backed it against Russia. European authorities are increasingly concerned at the scale of the hybrid threats they say emanate from Russia, which is in the third year of its invasion of Western ally Ukraine. Those threats, which have included killings and alleged bomb plots against institutions and cargo aircraft, have largely been attributed to state actors. Russia has denied the accusation. In this case, prosecutors did not specifically link the suspects to the state. MEDIA ATTENTION "The aim of the attacks on German targets was to garner media attention and thereby influence political and social decision-making in Germany," prosecutors said in the statement. The prosecutors and Europol published names and pictures of five of the people they were seeking, all of them Russian citizens and presumed to be residing in Russia. A further German arrest warrant remains sealed. Prosecutors identified one of the Russian citizens as one of two leading figures in the group it was seeking. Europol said volunteers were recruited through Russian channels, chat groups, social media and messaging apps and that they often invited contacts from gaming and hacking forums. Italian authorities added in a separate statement that sympathisers were given lists of Western targets to hit and provided with the software needed to participate. They added that the organisation - which paid with cryptocurrencies - had a "central line of command and control in the Russian Federation". The group also ran its own botnet - a network of private computers infected with malware and controlled by hackers - of several hundred servers to amplify the impact, they said. Authorities in the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Poland contributed to the investigation, said Europol, which helped to coordinate it. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt in Berlin and Giulia Segreti in Rome; Editing by Miranda Murray and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Seven arrest warrants issued in global swoop on suspected Russia-linked hackers
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Silhouette of mobile device user is seen next to a screen projection of binary code are seen in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo ROME/BERLIN - Germany and Spain issued arrest warrants for seven suspected members of a pro-Russian hacking group accused of carrying out cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, arms makers, power companies and public authorities. The warrants resulted from an international operation involving law enforcement and judicial authorities including the U.S., France, Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, German prosecutors and pan-European police agency Europol said in separate statements on Wednesday. German prosecutors said they had helped to coordinate the swoop on Tuesday in multiple countries in which 24 premises linked to the hacking group - which calls itself NoName057(16) - were searched, including one in Berlin and two in Bavaria in southeastern Germany. Germany issued six arrest warrants, five of them public, and Spain issued another. The NoName group had used the Telegram messaging app to enlist over 4,000 volunteers who made their systems available for swamping critical institutions' servers with so-called distributed denial of service attacks, the German prosecutors said. The premises searched included those linked to volunteers in the Telegram group, they said. In the past years the NoName collective, known for promoting Russian interests, has allegedly carried out successful cyberattacks in Ukraine and on government, infrastructure, banking, health services and telecom websites in European countries that have backed it against Russia. European authorities are increasingly concerned at the scale of the hybrid threats they say emanate from Russia, which is in the third year of its invasion of Western ally Ukraine. Those threats, which have included killings and alleged bomb plots against institutions and cargo aircraft, have largely been attributed to state actors. Russia has denied the accusation. In this case, prosecutors did not specifically link the suspects to the state. MEDIA ATTENTION "The aim of the attacks on German targets was to garner media attention and thereby influence political and social decision-making in Germany," prosecutors said in the statement. The prosecutors and Europol published names and pictures of five of the people they were seeking, all of them Russian citizens and presumed to be residing in Russia. A further German arrest warrant remains sealed. Prosecutors identified one of the Russian citizens as one of two leading figures in the group it was seeking. Europol said volunteers were recruited through Russian channels, chat groups, social media and messaging apps and that they often invited contacts from gaming and hacking forums. Italian authorities added in a separate statement that sympathisers were given lists of Western targets to hit and provided with the software needed to participate. They added that the organisation - which paid with cryptocurrencies - had a "central line of command and control in the Russian Federation". The group also ran its own botnet - a network of private computers infected with malware and controlled by hackers - of several hundred servers to amplify the impact, they said. Authorities in the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Poland contributed to the investigation, said Europol, which helped to coordinate it. REUTERS
