 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Smurfs
- Review Date: July 29, 2011
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Not enough bright spots in disappointing adaptation.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although there's nothing overtly upsetting in this adaptation of the beloved childhood cartoon, you can expect some potty-type humor and some cartoonishly violent scenes involving bad guy Gargamel and his cat Azrael. But no one is ever seriously hurt, and the Smurfs always triumph. The word "smurf" is used often as a substitute for other words, including, on occasion, curse words -- i.e. "smurf off!" or "smurf me." Many brands are featured in the movie (usually if they have the word "blue" in them), as well as electronics and toy companies. While kids might pick up a few messages about positive teamwork and self-confidence, chances are they'll probably just laugh at the goofy pratfalls and jokes.
What's the story?
In the enchanted Smurf Village, a group of 100 little blue, gnome-like creatures live in a utopian bliss, preparing for a Blue Moon Festival. Meanwhile, evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) and his cat, Azrael, plot to find and destroy the Smurfs' hidden home. After Clumsy Smurf (voiced by Anton Yelchin) accidentally leads Gargamel to the village, the powerful Blue Moon creates a vortex that sucks in Clumsy, Papa (Jonathan Winters), Gutsy (Alan Cumming), Grouchy (George Lopez), Brainy (Fred Armisen), and Smurfette (Katy Perry), with Gargamel and Azrael tumbling in after them. They land in New York City's Central Park, where cosmetics executive Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) is throwing a party for his overbearing boss (Sofia Vergara). After Clumsy falls into one of Patrick's boxes, the other Smurfs follow him home and reveal themselves to Patrick and his wife, Grace (Jayma Mays). While the Smurfs attempt to find a way to conjure themselves back home, Gargamel tries to track them down and steal their powerful, youth-providing essence.
Is it any good?
Despite a few laughs (physical comedy is hard to resist sometimes), director Raja Gosnell's adaptation of one of the most popular Saturday-morning cartoons in American history is only going to appeal to families desperate to beat the heat in an air-conditioned matinee. Even Harris, who has become one of those dependable movie savers in a string of comedies, and Azaria, who's a gifted, family-friendly comedian, can't save this live-action/CGI hybrid from disappointing nostalgia-seeking grown-ups and all but the youngest of kids.
On the smurfy side, there are a few decent one-liners, like when the Smurfs joke about their personality-named brothers left back in the village (nobody misses "Passive-Aggressive Smurf"), or look shocked when Patrick snaps an apparent expletive that only involves variations of the word "smurf." And, yes, Gargamel stomping around Manhattan with his faithful devilish cat has an inherent comedic appeal, but it's not enough to sustain a paper-thin plot. As Grouchy appropriately says at the end of the Smurfs' urban adventure, "I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. But I still hated it."
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the appeal of remaking old cartoons into movies. Do you think the goal is to share the cartoons with a new generation or to appeal to grown-ups who remember the cartoons from their own youth?
What are the movie's messages? What do the characters learn over the course of the film?
If you've seen the old TV show, how does the movie compare? Do the characters seem the same?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Rude, sexualized smurfs
Using the word "smurf" as a substitute is still crude. I wouldn't want my 6 year old going around telling people to "smurf off". It was totally unecessary to do this. And the sexual innuendos were terrible to see. Smurfs wanting to look up Smurfette's skirt? Terrible. They took an innocent fun cartoon and did what they always do - sexualized it and made it rude and crude. No way I'm taking my kids to see this.
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AGE
Don't You Agree Parents?
Entertaining,But Deep Down,Is This Really Funny?,I Say No!,And Why Would They Say OMG! In A Movie That's PG.What Is Wrong With Our Ratings These Days.Don't You Agree Parents?
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AGE
Very disappointed
This is simply a crude version of the 1980's smurfs we all used to watch. The language was something I did not appreciate. Even though they substituted "smurf" for a lot of it, I still considerd it very offensive and innapropriate. I also agree with the above reviewer that the sexual innuendo was innapropriate. We took our children to see it since they liked watching some of the older smurf cartoons, but we ended up walking out early on and doing something else as a family. I wish I would have waited for more reviews and not blindly trusted the 6 and up rating from commonsense media.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 29, 2011
AGE
Oh Come On
2 stars?! Really?! Give me a break!! Ok, yeah, it had a little language and innuendo, but nothing that wouldn't fly over a young kid's head!!
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AGE
A little crude but well-done.
I actually just saw this movie today. (SPOILERS FROM HERE ON) Gargamel's appearance and pillaging of the Smurf Village may be a little scary to young children, and the portal to NY scene. But this movie has very good messages in especially the end, when Clumsy, who usually ruins everything, saves the village. I put all icons but educational because some scenes are violent/scary. Patrick's wife is pregnant and some Smurfs make a deal out of looking up Smurfette's skirt. All cuss words are replaced with "smurf" but I still wouldn't like people telling me "Smurf you!" or whatnot. LOTS of product placement, like Blue Man Group and Blu-ray (get it?), Community (the TV show which is NOT appropriate for kids under 14), and a big plot is Patrick's ad campaign for his fictional company Anjelou. Patrick takes a glass of champagne. Overall, this movie has its ups and downs but is a great movie for grades 3-8.
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AGE
Harmless and Cute Movie to Escape the Summer Heat
It was cute. The actor who plays Gargamel is really funny and plays the part well.
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AGE
Just To Let You Know
Just to let you know Smurfette says Oh My Smurf in the trailer.
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AGE
Eh.....
Honestly, I didn't grow up watching the Smurfs, but I still know when a movie steers away from the original Smurfs true charm. I disliked this movie for several reasons:
1.) That they have SOOO much product placement. It's kind of scary.
2.) The Marilyn Monroe moment: That smurfette's "brothers" are trying to look up her skirt.
3.) That they think they can get away with every bad word in the book by replacing it with "Smurf". At first it was kind of funny, but then it just got immensly annoying.
sure, some of the younger kids will like it; at moments it was truly funny, and some parts did make me laugh. But the majority of the time I was trying not to think how many kids would go tell people to smurf off or decide that Madam Alexander dolls were for them because those awesome blue people in that movie were talking about/playing with/seeing them.
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AGE
Food for Thought
It's unfortunate that Hollywood has forgotten how to make a kids movie...With all the sexual innuendos and language covered up with the word "smurf". It is not a movie I would want very young children to watch...Although some parents may say that these will go right over their kids heads, they should realize that their kids are like sponges absorbing everthing around them which will sooner or later be seen in there language and behavior...Just some food for thought...
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AGE
It says PG for a reason
We loved the Smurfs.You have to see it in 3D its was just great.The only thing we were a little disappointed about was that Grandpa,the Smurflings and baby were missing.Sassette was my favorite characters as a kid so it sad not to see her.Other then that was worth ever penny a must see.The label on the movie does say PG and they needed adult jokes as it mostly adult who remember the cartoon.I hate when parents complain because they see the rating PG on a movie and then take their kids to see then complain because it has some adult content there is a reason isn't rated G this isn't a Disney movie I mean on use some comsense .The Marilyn Monroe screen is harmless the Smurf was wearing pants under his kilt you couldn't see anything.The original Smurfs was a sexist show up until Sassette there was one female and she acted like pretty princess who wanted everything her way so that no way went away from the original show.Smurfette wasn't so pretty when she was first made and the other Smurfs didn't like her until Papa turned her pretty and blond.She even made the the comment you like what you see well you soon will on the cartoon if you watch the original episode it was clearly a full of sexist comments. They also used the term Smurf up on the cartoon many times and as a child I never found myself repeating it.I think parents have gone way to far with this trying to protect their kids from very little thing.We watched this stuff as kids and our generation acted lot better then kids do now.Yes this movie is bit much for 6 or 4 year old but if you read the label PG you wouldn't be taking a child that young to go see it.We gave this movie 4 stars and will buy when it comes out on DVD
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures |
| Studio: | Columbia Pictures |
| Director: | Raja Gosnell |
| Cast: | Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, Neil Patrick Harris |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 103 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 29, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | December 2, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some mild rude humor and action |
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