No One Involved With Smurfs Has Any Idea What They’re Doing

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In simpler terms, it seems that today’s creators often use real-world settings to add depth to characters or stories that might otherwise feel shallow. For instance, Will Ferrell played a character in both “The LEGO Movie” and “Barbie,” where he portrayed a control-freak figure in one and the CEO of Mattel in the other. Similarly, the musical “Boop! The Musical” and the Greta Gerwig film tried to introduce a 1930s cartoon character into modern times for a journey of self-discovery. Now, we have “Smurfs,” an animated reboot of the Peyo property, which transports its blue gnome characters from their woodland village into our world. However, surprisingly, most people don’t seem to notice or acknowledge the presence of Smurfs, even when they’re out and about in places like Parisian nightclubs.

In simpler terms, the Smurfs venture into the real world for reasons that seem inconsistent throughout the movie, with moments that hint at multiple universes, confusing backstories, and action resembling a superhero film – implying the creators lack clarity in their work. Regrettably, the film fails to address if Rihanna, who is also a producer, exists within its universe. Instead, Smurfette appears to be an extension of Rihanna’s pop-star persona. The film seems uncertain about its purpose, but it confidently offers new music from Rihanna, who hasn’t released any songs for three years. Interestingly, the musical sequences, featuring a dance led by Papa Smurf (John Goodman) and an inspiring interlude where Smurfette dances inside a kangaroo’s pouch, are where the film feels most comfortable with itself. However, when the music stops and the movie tries to make sense of its haphazard plot elements, it struggles significantly.

The film adaptation of the long-standing Smurfs franchise, originally created by Peyo in 1958, might seem straightforward due to its abundant source material. However, the movie directed by Chris Miller and written by Pam Brady, seems less interested in the charm of the Smurfs, instead trying to blend them into a narrative centered around a world-saving action adventure. The film provides the Smurfs with an origin story as guardians of good, tasked with protecting a sentient book named Jaunty Grimoire, voiced by Amy Sedaris who bears a striking resemblance to Towelie from South Park. This could be seen as a nod or even a jab to the audience, given that Brady is a longtime collaborator of Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

The film also downplays traditional Smurfs villain Gargamel in favor of focusing on his evil wizard brother Razamel, both voiced by JP Karliak. Additionally, it introduces No Name Smurf, a character who hasn’t found his place among the Smurfs yet, despite being voiced by James Corden, who seems destined to become the British Smurf. When No Name obtains some magical powers, contradicting the film’s earlier assertion that Smurfs can’t do magic, it draws the attention of Razamel and his underling Joel (Dan Levy), who promptly open a portal above the village to abduct Papa Smurf, requiring him to be rescued.

This narrative raises several intriguing points:

1. Why did Papa Smurf choose not to reveal the magical book hidden among the village Smurfs to everyone?
2. Why is Papa Smurf called Papa while his bearded brother (Nick Offerman) is simply named Ken? If names can follow typical patterns, why is No Name so insistent?
3. Are the Snooterpoots, led by Mama Poot (Natasha Lyonne), merely a commercial ploy or as ruthless as they seem?
4. Why are Razamel and Joel human characters animated when they inhabit our real world, and what distinguishes them from ordinary humans?
5. Could it be that Rihanna, as the press suggests, has an encyclopedic knowledge of Smurfs, given her comment about Smurfette’s love for music across various genres?
6. The animated film, _Smurfs_, maintains a straightforward character design that resembles 3D figurines based on Peyo’s drawings, except for one striking scene.

However, we might never uncover the answers to these questions, just as we may never discover if Rihanna truly embodies an ocean of Smurf knowledge (“I think she loves music too,” she says about Smurfette, indicating her affinity for hip-hop, reggae, Afrobeats, ballads, and house). But _Smurfs_ does boast one noteworthy sequence.

The movie takes you on an exciting journey through various settings – Claymation, side-scrolling 8-bit video game, microscopic, and anime – each offering a delightful visual experience. However, the movie’s attempt to blend all these elements can be seen as a wild experiment that pays off visually for a brief moment. But soon enough, it settles into a predictable climax reminiscent of many recent blockbusters. Despite the absurdity of its intellectual property, at least it attempts to be self-aware. Unfortunately, for _Smurfs_ to display such cleverness, it would need to offer some original thoughts or ideas.

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2025-07-17 16:54