California Smurfing will make you feel blue
Smurfs: The Lost Village (U) Verdict: Underwhelming fare for the under-8s ★★✩✩✩
HERE are those greedy Americans, once again claiming other cultures for their own. The Smurfs were conceived 60-odd years ago in Belgium, but in The Lost Village they pretty much sound like they all come from California, with the notable exception of Baker Smurf (voiced by none other than Gordon Ramsay).
Still, six-year-olds won’t mind that. What they might mind is Gargamel the wicked wizard (Rainn Wilson), who wants to capture everyone in a remote Smurf village and harness their magic powers for himself.
Do children’s films these days really always need to represent evil? Sadly, it seems they do. Even Postman Pat: The Movie and Paddington went down that road.
Still, at least this Smurfs movie is a proper animation. The last two in the franchise dropped little cartoon creatures into a live-action film, which didn’t work at all.
The story involves the single Smurf female, Smurfette (Demi Lovato), leading her tribe of diminutive, blue innocents against Gargamel the wizard. The crashing irony is that Smurfette isn’t actually a real Smurf, but was created by Gargamel from a lump of clay, to infiltrate the Smurf community. Luckily, she’s turned into a real cutie.
A decent voice cast also includes Julia Roberts, yet if you go to see only one children’s film this Easter holiday, make sure it’s next week’s release, the wonderful Boss Baby.
The Smurfs might keep the little cherubs diverted for an hour and a half, but only if they’re not too discerning.
BAZ BAMIGBOYE IS AWAY