FILM REVIEW: SMURFS (U) ESP RATING: 2/5

A tale of two viewers – one unenthused grown-up and one gleeful six-year-old.

Ask me and my son what we thought of the latest Smurfs iteration – and you’d get two very different answers.

After previous failed attempts with the franchise, this animated effort at least tries to be different – but offers very little in terms of ingenuity.

Visually, it’s the most striking yet, with vibrant, imaginative CGi that brings the world of Smurf Village to life. It also features the most star-studded voice cast so far, including songstress Rihanna – who has been heavily-publicised as the megastar of the piece – as lead character Smurfette, along with James Corden, John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer, Amy Sedaris, and more.

But even with all that sparkle, from an adult’s perspective – one who grew up with the old cartoon or the original comics – it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The story follows the Smurfs on a quest to rescue Papa Smurf (Goodman) after he's captured by the evil wizard Razamel (JP Karliak).

What follows is a dizzying rush of portals, spells, chases, and life lessons. It all moves fast and looks great, but rarely sticks the landing. The plot lurches from one magical moment to the next without much weight or consequence. The jokes feel borrowed from better animated films of the past decade, and the emotional ‘beats’ come off more sweet than sincere.

Now, ask my six-year-old what he thought – and you’ll hear something completely different.

He was all in from the first scene to the last. For him, this movie was everything: fun, funny, loud, colourful, and exciting. He called it one of the best films he’s ever seen. He laughed, he danced in his seat, gasped at the magic battles and cheered when the Smurfs teamed up to save the day. At just ninety minutes, it held his attention perfectly.

And honestly? That’s who this movie is made for.

It’s not trying to win over adult fans with clever nostalgia or sophisticated storytelling. It’s built for kids who want something energetic, bright, and easy to love. And in that, it absolutely succeeds.

So is Smurfs a good movie to take the family to? Definitely if you have young children. Just don’t expect to enjoy it nearly as much as your kids. You’ll probably find it messy, familiar, and a little too eager to impress. But they won’t care. They’ll love it.

And if they’re happy? That’s a win in my eyes.

ESP Rating: 2/5

(Add on two extra marks if you’re under six, or oOne if you’re under ten!)

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Voice Cast: Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Jp Karliak, Sandra Oh, Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Kurt Russell, Xolo Mariduena, Alex Winter & John Goodman

Running Time: 1 Hr 32 Mins

Director: Chris Miller

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk