Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Not enough bright spots in disappointing adaptation.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Smurfs
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 35 parent reviews
Parents say that while this movie has received mixed reviews, many families found it enjoyable and entertaining for children, emphasizing its humor and positive messages about family and loyalty. However, some parents raised concerns about inappropriate content, including mild violence and suggestive undertones, leading to a divided opinion on its suitability for young viewers.
- family friendly
- humor and positivity
- mixed reviews
- inappropriate content
- nostalgia factor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 87 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a delightful, family-oriented adventure that promotes positive messages about teamwork and friendship, making it a great choice for younger viewers; however, many adults find it boring and believe it falls short of expectations. Despite mixed opinions on humor and language, it seems to resonate more with children and those nostalgic for the original cartoons than with older audiences who criticize its story and character portrayals.
- family-friendly
- positive messages
- boring for adults
- humor divides audience
- product placements
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In the enchanted Smurf Village, THE SMURFS, 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, this adaptation of one of the most popular Saturday-morning cartoons in U.S. history is only going to appeal to families with Smurf-obsessed kids. 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 director Raja Gosnell's 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 here, and physical comedy is hard to resist sometimes. 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."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of remaking old cartoons like The Smurfs 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?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 29, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : December 2, 2011
- Cast : Hank Azaria , Jayma Mays , Neil Patrick Harris
- Director : Raja Gosnell
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild rude humor and action
- Last updated : January 21, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate