Smurfs 2 does exactly what it’s supposed to
Featuring the voices of Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jayma Mays. Rated G. Now playing
The screenplay for The Smurfs 2 credits no fewer than 10 writers. That may seem like a lot of effort for a bunch of animated characters with diapers for hats. (If you’ve never actually seen a Smurf, it helps to imagine a garden gnome dipped in toilet-bowl cleanser.) But the little blue forest dwellers with names like Grouchy, Clumsy, and Vanity are actually big business.
In fact, The Smurfs generated more than enough box office to earn a pricey 3-D sequel. And for those of you who dig this sort of thing, it’s bigger, bluer, and—as the gang would say—even Smurfier than the original.
For the most part, director Raja Gosnell keeps things fast and bright. Much of the original cast is back, including the late Jonathan Winters as the voice of Papa Smurf and singer Katy Perry as the voice of the demure Smurfette. The human side of the cast includes the returning Neil Patrick Harris, whose character is having a few issues with his bumbling stepfather (Brendan Gleeson).
If there’s anything that gets in the way of the fun here, it’s that the story line feels a little emotionally overwrought. There’s a lot of talk about feelings and blended families—all well and good, up to a point. But what the audience really wants is to revel in the old-school slapstick of the evil Gargamel (Hank Azaria).
Since we last saw Gargamel, his magic act has made him a hit from Las Vegas to Paris. The problem? He needs to melt down a bunch of Smurfs to maintain his magic powers. To reveal any more of the plot would spoil the fun. Let’s just say that once you get past the obligatory life lessons, Smurfs 2 does exactly what it’s supposed to.
Comments
1 Comments
Ron Y
Jul 29, 2013 at 4:14pm
Does it explain how Smurfette handles the sexual harassment situation?