Yes, it can be a blue Christmas at your house if you have
kids and if they tend to like those adorable little creations known as Smurfs.
That's because the movie SMURFS 2 has just come out on DVD. In the long run
kids will love it and adults will find it slightly amusing. What could make a
better Christmas gift?
I'll admit that I didn't see the first Smurfs movie but
after watching this one I don't think it matters. We all know a little about
them from years of Smurf cartoons and the like. This time around it is nearly
Smurfette's birthday. The only female Smurf we know of, the rest of the Smurfs
are busy planning a surprise birthday party for her. Unfortunately this leads
her to believe everyone has forgotten about her.
Smurfette reflects on how she came to be, how the evil
sorcerer Gargamel created her as an evil alternative to the Smurfs. But when
she got to spend time with the Smurfs she changed for the better. Now she's
afraid of becoming what she once was all over again.
About the same time this is going on, Gargamel is now in our
world and playing to sell out crowds around the world as the most amazing
magician known to man. The secret of his magical abilities lies in the fact
that he is using Smurf essence to power his magic wand. But the amount of
essence he has is dwindling so he creates new Smurfs, evil ones called
Naughties named Vexy and Hackus. The problem is that they don't provide the
pure essence that a real Smurf does so Gargamel sets out to recapture Smurfette
and use her to alter his newest creations. If he can capture them all that
works too and gives him the ability to rule the world.
A portal is made and Smurfette is brought back to our world
in Paris where she spends time with Vexy and Hackus. They become friends and
the duo tries to show her just how much fun being bad can be. Gargamel pretends
to like her and cater to her needs in the hope that she'll lure the other
Smurfs here.
Back in their own world the Smurfs realize Smurfette has
been kidnapped and set out to rescue her. The problem is there are only enough
special crystals for 4 of them to go. Led by Papa Smurf they head out to the
home of Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris), the same human that helped them in the
first film. When the explain what is going on Patrick, the Smurfs and his
family, including the step father that Patrick has issues with (Brendan
Gleason) all head for France.
Confusion reigns supreme from that moment forward as with
most movies made these days for the under 10 crowd. The movie does take on some
serious topics though as Smurfette must deal with being good or bad. At the
same time her new friends learn what it's like to be around someone who is
nice. And Patrick and his step father learn that all is not what it seems when
it comes to memories of what happened in their past together.
The movie offers some good CGI animation (like most kids
movies these days) and the comic moments involving the Smurfs is sure to bring
out a number of laughs from the kids. The jokes may not be as amusing to adults,
but they aren't so bad as to cause the continuous eye rolls that some movies
do. The story lines are sure to create open ends to discussions you can have
with your kids about being good or bad and about knowing what really happened
in the past versus what they remember happened. Watch and you'll understand
what I'm talking about.
All in all if you have kids this is a movie I'm sure you'll
want to add to their collection. And if you're a Smurf lover you'll find
yourself in Heaven watching their antics once again. As a bonus there is a
great old style animated short included in the special area of the DVD that has
the Smurfs dealing with the headless horseman in what appears to be a Halloween
themed episode. This would make a great Christmas gift for the Smurf fan no
matter what the age.
Click here to order.
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