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The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘They all looked the same, they all dressed the same': the betrayal of the Smurfs' communist roots
Smurfs, a new Paramount Pictures CGI-spectacle directed by Chris Miller, has received an all-round critical panning and faltered at the box office. But it does a serviceable job reminding viewers of the utter strangeness of the three-apples-tall characters originally conceived of by Belgian comic artist Pierre 'Peyo' Culliford in 1958. In the film, James Corden voices No Name Smurf, who experiences existential angst because unlike the other inhabitants of Smurf Village – Brainy, Grouchy, Hefty etc – he does not 'have his own thing', a skill or character trait that makes him stand out. This special trait is eventually identified as 'magic' and No Name is pressed – by a serenading Rihanna-voiced Smurfette – to realise his inner USP and 'don't let anyone ever say you are not anyone' and accept that 'you were born great'. An identity crisis might be a relatively novel experience for the motormouthed British actor, but it is certainly a first in the 67-year history of Peyo's blue cosmos. In fact, it may be a contradiction in terms: to be a good Smurf, in the proto-communist vision of the original comics, was to never elevate your own personality above the collective. Of Smurf Village's original 100 inhabitants, says French sociologist and Smurfologist Antoine Buéno, 'About 90% were totally indistinguishable. They all looked the same, they were all dressed the same.' While some Smurfs were identified by name, he says, this was usually through a skill that is related to how he (all of the original Smurfs were male) is useful to the community. 'The Smurfian society is an archetypal corporatist society, meaning that each Smurf that is identified represents a social function.' In Miller's latest reboot of the franchise, unleashing your true inner self is presented as the key to overcoming a problem – in Peyo's original book, it is the root of all evil. 'In the comics, each time a Smurf tries to be an individual, it creates a catastrophe,' Buéno says. For instance, in the second book of the original series, 1965's Le Schtroumpfissime (King Smurf), the inhabitants of the village hold a vote for an interim leader in the absence of Papa Smurf, but democracy does not become them. One nameless Smurf realises he can play the system by making promises he can't keep to each of his potential voters, and wins. But once elected, he rules as an autocrat, installing an oppressive regime marshalled by Hefty Smurf and forcing the other Smurfs to build him a palace. The book was translated into Dutch as De Smurführer. 'All bad comes from individuality, which is also linked with private property', says Buéno. 'Each time private property is claimed in the village, it ruins the whole balance of the society.' The 2011 book in which Buéno explored the hidden ideological underpinnings of Peyo's fictional world, Le Petit Livre Bleu: Analyse Critique et Politique de la Société des Schtroumpfs, triggered a bitter backlash from true blue fans, and is wilfully polemical in the way it spells out political allusions that the comics never make explicit. The revolutionary connotations of the Phrygian caps (red for Papa, white for all the rest) are plausible, the identification of bearded Papa Smurf as Marx and bespectacled Brainy as Trotsky perhaps less so. The search for messages hidden in the books may even have distracted from how genuinely original an exercise in storytelling the Smurfs were on the surface: a series of tales with 100 protagonists, of whom most look exactly the same, in which heroism lies in collective action. Speaking more than a decade after the publication of his Little Blue Book, Buéno sounds more balanced in his assessment. 'My theory was always that Peyo was not into politics at all', he says. 'But his genius was in creating a utopia that drew from our joint political history and coming up with images that spoke to everyone.' Using Smurf Village as an example of working socialism did not just die with the new reboot, it was washed out of the Smurfverse after Peyo sold the rights to his creation in the 1970s. 'For me, what we witnessed in the Smurfs is a perfect demonstration of Guy Debord's analysis of capitalism', says Buéno. 'Capitalism's strength lies in never frontally destroying its enemies, but taking them in and digesting them.'
Gulf Weekly
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Smart Smurfs on a mission
Animated comedy Smurfs is out now in theatres. Based on the 1958 Belgian comic series by Peyo, the film tackles the kidnapping of Papa Smurf (John Goodman) by evil wizards Gargamel and Razamel (both voiced by JP Karliak), which causes Smurfette (Rihanna) to lead the Smurfs on a mission, away from the safe confines of the Smurf village and onto the real world to save their leader, as well as unravel their true purpose in the universe. In an interview, director Chris Miller expressed that he wanted to honour the original comics' DNA with the film series reboot, which is preceded by Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017). 'It was really important to approach the story like this was the first Smurfs movie that's been made, something that would stand on its own,' he said. 'We centred the story around a Smurf named No Name (voiced by James Corden) who does not yet have a clear identity or thing and is on a journey to discover it. 'That's something all of us can relate to, we all share this 'moment' in life where we don't know who we are or what we're meant to be. 'Sometimes the answer just comes to us and sometimes it takes longer, and patience is always easier said than done! That's what makes this story so relatable,' he added. Chris is also known for his contributions to the DreamWorks Animation hits Puss in Boots, the first three Shrek films and Madagascar among many others.
New York Times
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Smurfs' Review: Don't Stop the Music
Smurfs, the blue-skinned, white-clad wee creatures created by the Belgian comic artist Pierre Culliford, known as Peyo, in 1958, have come a long way. 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.
South China Morning Post
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Smurfs movie review: Rihanna can't save subpar return of the beloved blue creatures
2/5 stars Smurfs opens with the population of Smurfs' Village harmoniously singing the 'Happy Song' from the original 1980s animation series featuring the little blue creatures. As the warm glow of nostalgia creeps in, director Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) cuts to Papa Smurf on the decks, blasting out an obnoxious pop track. 'Now that's what I call a banger,' he yells. This unfortunately sets the tone for the latest film about Belgian comic artist Peyo's cute creations. Play Smurfs is primarily a marketing tool for Rihanna, who voices the blonde-haired Smurfette and provides material for the soundtrack.
Metro
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Smurfs bosses spent a year deciding on Smurfette's ‘new look' with Rihanna
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Smurfs director Chris Miller has opened up about how Rihanna was 'invaluable' on set, breathing new life into one of the most iconic characters in the world. The filmmaker is responsible for bringing the blue crew back to the big screen for another adventure with a star-studded cast, including John Goodman as Papa Smurf alongside James Corden, Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Dan Levy, Sandra Oh and Hannah Waddingham. The movie follows Smurfette (Rihanna) and No Name (James) springing into action and leading the gang on a wild mission to bring Papa Smurf (John Goodman) back after he's mysteriously kidnapped. As well as leading the cast, the Diamonds singer recorded a new song for the soundtrack – while also serving as producer, working closely with Chris to bring their vision to life. Speaking to Metro, the filmmaker lifted the lid on working so closely with the mom-of-two, sharing: 'She brought a life. Obviously her performance is great and that's something that happens over the course of a few years, many recording sessions. 'In between that, we were hyper focused with Rih, especially on Smurfette and do we want to bring a new look to Smurfette? 'We spent a long time – about a year, actually – even going through different hair styles and even slight subtle costume changes and little things. 'We really, really, really pushed it to places that it was like, 'We can't, this is not going to happen.' We went almost full circle back to those original Peyo designs with some slight modifications, and felt really good about it. 'With Rihanna, it's like showing her art and really just getting her to react. She was invaluable in that way.' Smurfs will be unleashed on the big screen this week, and the official synopsis reads: 'When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. 'With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.' Smurfette made her debut in the comic strip in 1966 and became an instant favorite with fans – she was voiced by Lucille Bliss in more than 200 episodes of the cartoon version, while Katy Perry took on the role in the 2011 film, and the 2013 sequel. Demi Lovato and Melissa Sturm have also voiced the character over the years, with Rihanna putting her own spin on the character in the latest Smurfs project. Without giving too much away, RiRi's version managed to get under the skin of Papa Smurf's brother, Ken – aka Nick Offerman – with the pair spending much of the film trading barbs. More Trending When asked how it was to go up against the reigning queen of sass, Nick told us: 'It was really fun. I'm hoping we can keep our beef contained to just on screen. 'But Rihanna is a very spicy personality so I'll mind my manners at the premiere.' As he should. Smurfs is in cinemas on July 18. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Hidden treasure' music biopic finally arrives on Amazon Prime Video MORE: Sarah Jessica Parker finally confirms she dated major Hollywood star after decades of rumours MORE: Jaws star, 77, 'terribly sorry' to cancel event last minute after being struck with infection
