Review of The Smurfs (2011) by Hector C — 06 Jan 2013

The latest in a string of CG/live-action comedies (Alvin & The Chipmunks, Yogi Bear), The Smurfs was based around the characters from comic books. Yet it doesnâ(TM)t take any hints from any previous comic book-to-film adaptations on how to bring comic book characters to life (Nolanâ(TM)s Batman, Raimiâ(TM)s Spider-Man), because it is in fact a load of bullsmurf.

Attracting a few famous faces, Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria and Katy Perry, The Smurfs is a pathetic excuse for a comedy film that is aimed solely at kiddiest of all kiddies. When a script is so ridiculous and aimless any remnants of sniffs of mild amusement are easily forgotten. Apart from some nice animation and an above par performance from Neil Patrick Harris, the film is just so fixed on money-grabbing from kids, that it seemingly forgets that parents go to the cinema to watch a good film, not just to satisfy their over-excitable and easily whelmed children.

What actually happens in this rather over-achieving â" over-achieving because of its global box office of half a million dollars â" recycled piece of crap, I hear you ask. Well, basically itâ(TM)s about these six âSmurfsâ? (blue people who live in big mushrooms) who are magically transported to the Big Apple and must escape the claws of utterly annoying evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) and his useless sidekick, very similar to 2007â(TM)s Enchanted isnâ(TM)t it?

Taking its script, jokes and characters directly from other films, The Smurfs is an awful, awful comic book adaptation, thatâ(TM)s only enlightenment is some smooth CG work from the dudes who did the CG work. Well done dudes who did the CG work!