The global advertising campaign to the new adventure from the well-known Schlumpfe franchise leads a new song of pop singer Rihanna (“Ocean's 8”) to be heard briefly. As a fan of the little blue goblins, you could already worry. Especially since it is at “The smurfs: the big movie“Yes, not the first attempt to bring them to the screens, but already about the third reboot – whose start date has also been postponed several times!
The whole thing is as bad as it was feared due to these signs – thanks to the smurf! – but not. Sure, the story is sometimes senselessly overstructed, then again wafer -thin or pulled on the hair – in some places it even seems spontaneous as it is in retrospect. But an astonishingly high number of gags lights up, the pace is right, and the squeaky-gray animation look is also completely okay after some getting used to. “The deeper hangover” and “Shrek the third” director Chris Miller has delivered an at least adequate strip. However, whether his qualities are sufficient to finally start – as you have wanted on the part of the rights holder for so long – to start really successful film series and not have to start again and again again and again …
Does the “no-name smurf”, which were baptized soon, really have no properties? Smurfine holds against it!
Life in Schlumpfhausen is wonderful and carefree. A newcomer alone (voice in the German version: Álvaro Soler) in the circle of the blue beings wrestles with his identity. Because every smurf has “his thing” that distinguishes him: the Gärtnerschlumpf Gärtnert, the cake smurf bakes cakes, the full-wide-back smurf has its mushroom house just outside the village and so on. Only one of them – despite encouragement and help from his girlfriend Schlumpfine (Patricia Meeden), the only girl among them – has still not found his individual talent. That is why he actually fears when the no-name smurf, as the others already call it mockingly, to go into the annals.
But then Papa Schlumpf (Uwe Ochsenknecht) is kidnapped from the magical small kingdom into the real world of people. The remaining ones soon set out to save their leader. But as it turns out, he was not caught this time by her arch enemy, the tölpha -evil magician Gargamel (Rick Kavanian), but by his much more crazy brother Razamel (also Kavanian). His intention is to tear the whole universe into ruin. For the smurfs, it is time to find a few allies and then please save all of us …
Are we still in Schlumpfhausen – or already in the MCU?
Pam Brady cannot accuse Pam Brady that the “South Park: The Film” and “Spongebob Schwammkopf: Piraten Ahoi!” Author had no trouble building a new fantasy mythology around the world of smurfs. That they went too far and above all the young main target group of such a film should overwhelm, but already. Because it hardly wants to hear from four mystical books that are necessary to rule the universe, or from the evil forces who try to achieve this. After all, these are still the smurfs-and not “the Lord of the Rings” or the MCU with its infinity stones!
It was varied to observe how the children, who are usually mostly fully involved, began to regularly deal with their parents, their backpacks, the popcorn or the electronically adjustable seat backs of the cinema when it came to the background and motifs of Papa Schlumpf. Fortunately, these moments quickly become noticeably less – and if so, then only half -hearted. Instead, from then on, the film increasingly relies on its main characters and their turbulent-funny, yet quite exciting rescue mission. As identification figures for the viewers, the no-name smurf searching for his place in life and the much more self-confident, but always personally helpful smurf, which also initiates a large dance number (the badly repetitive “Friend of Mine”) mentioned at the beginning to increase the morale of your troop.
Gargamel (right) is the arch enemy of the smurfs – but his brother Razamel is even worse!
The title hero must finally show up the individual talent of the previously nameless protagonist – an odyssey through various dimensions to free your dad. You not only make the acquaintance of Ken, the previously unknown brother of Papa Schlumpf, as well as a clan from the tribbles from the old “spaceship Enterprise” series reminiscent of fur reminiscent. They also get lost to a lot of strange places that are presented in amusing styles in strongly contrasting drawing styles. So they end up in a world for a short time that looks like the scribble of a toddler, then again in one that goes towards an action anime and in which only Japanese is spoken.
This is all creative and mostly funny. The human world alone is a little given away – also because there are many scenes in it, such as those in Razamel's lock, first start real filmed, but are then shown animated again. The cheerful dimension hopping is repeatedly interrupted by a psychedelic color, picture and sound frenzy, which could ensure that the film has become a cult strip for stoners-as “The Wizard of Oz” or “2001: Odyssey in space” has long been.
Thanks to high gag density, mostly entertaining
The vocals fit into dramaturgy coherently, also because they are never rolled out too long. However, the almost non-stop parade of small margins and side gags that loosen up the events without taking any speeds works even better. There are a few pop culture alludes for adults in the audience, but also delicious absurdities such as the sound effect slurry, which, with its only seconds, sets real highlights with its only second, dry-humorous appearances. “The Smurfs: The Big Cinema Made” is largely entertaining. If you had saved the superfluous and constructed mythology in the background, which was unfortunately a prominent into the game at the end, the whole thing would have been a lot of rounds.
Conclusion: Colorful, shrill, loud and in between: The makers of “The Smurfs: The Great Cinema” do not risk a revolutionary other, but at least fresh approach, which is good over long distances, but sometimes not at all. Fans can hope that you will have learned from these experiments at the inevitable next Smurf adventure.