'The Smurfs' Movie Review

Ever since he made his debut with 1997’s Home Alone 3, Raja Gosnell has been cranking out one innocuous, family-friendly comedy after another – from 2000’s Big Momma’s House to 2002’s Scooby-Doo to 2008’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Gosnell’s films have been successful at the box office and panned by critics, and it certainly doesn’t seem as though The Smurfs is going to change that trend.

The Smurfs is the latest in a long line of films to blend live action with computer animated characters, and it’s worth noting that the movie fares much, much better than such efforts as 2010’s Yogi Bear and 2011’s Hop. The tolerable atmosphere is due mostly to the efforts of a surprisingly talented live-action cast, which includes Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, and, of course, Hank Azaria.

Longtime fans of Peyo’s iconic creation will probably find something here worth embracing, although it’s ultimately clear that Gosnell and his collaborators have crafted The Smurfs to appeal primarily to small children.

When we first meet them, the Smurfs are enjoying a typically restful and fun-loving day in their Smurf village – with the threat of Gargamel (Hank Azaria) the furthest thing from everybody’s mind. But when a Smurf accidentally leads the evil wizard back to their miniature community, Gargamel and his evil cat sidekick, Azrael, begin destroying the Smurfs’ homes in an effort at capturing one of the little blue creatures. Papa Smurf (Jonathan Winters) and several others make an escape to a magical waterfall – where they’re quickly teleported to modern day New York City. (Gargamel and Azrael are, of course, close behind.)

The Smurfs eventually wind up hiding out in the home of an up-and-coming marketer named Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris), and although Patrick is immediately horrified by the Smurfs’ presence, Grace (Jayma Mays), Patrick’s pregnant wife, invites the tiny visitors to stay in their cramped apartment for as long as they need. The Smurfs’ arrival couldn’t have come at a worse time for Patrick, as the busy executive is right on the verge of earning a major promotion from his feared boss (Sofia Vergara’s Odile).

In terms of the film’s live-action cast, Harris certainly does a nice job of stepping into the shoes of a harried executive who is forced to learn a series of life lessons – although it’s instantly clear that the MVP here is Azaria. Azaria delivers a frequently hilarious performance that stands as a consistent highlight within the proceedings, with the actor’s gleefully over-the-top presence responsible for many of the movie’s biggest laughs. (There is, for example, a hilarious moment in which Gargamel spots his cat cleaning himself in a private area, which prompts the wizard to remark, “Would you care for a mint when you’re done?")

The voice-over cast generally fares quite well, as Gosnell has recruited an eclectic batch of actors to provide the voices of the various Smurfs. Jonathan Winters’ warm, inviting turn as Papa Smurf is matched by his various costars, including Katy Perry as Smurfette, Anton Yelchin as Clumsy Smurf, and Alan Cumming as Gutsy Smurf. (The only sour note here is George Lopez’s grating work as Grouchy Smurf.)

For more than half of its running time, The Smurfs is far more entertaining than it has any right to be – with the affable atmosphere generally compensating for the expectedly worthless use of 3-D. To be fair, Gosnell does a nice job of sporadically taking advantage of the extra dimension – although, for the most part, this is the most subtle 3-D to come around in quite some time.

The easygoing vibe persists right up until around the one-hour mark, after which point the emphasis is placed on melodramatic plot twists and stale life lessons. (For example, Harris’ character learns that he shouldn’t take his job quite so seriously.) The inclusion of an overlong and surprisingly tedious climax, revolving around the Smurfs’ battle against Gargamel, cements the movie’s status as a disappointingly erratic endeavor, which is too bad, really, given the strong performances and likeable nature of the title characters.

Grade: C-

The Smurfs was directed by Raja Gosnell and is rated PG for some mild rude humor and action.

Theatrical Release Date: July 29, 2011