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Smurfs movie; worth watching?

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HiddenFacedMatt Avatars may be subject to change without notice. Since: Jul, 2011
Avatars may be subject to change without notice.
#1: Sep 4th 2011 at 11:50:55 AM

When I saw the "where the smurf are we" tagline, I found myself curious as to what else it got past the radar. I also think I'd like to familiarize myself with the Smurfs series, *

and a movie seems like a good way to learn it what with it only being a couple hours long and all.

I know it didn't do so well on rotten tomatoes, but neither did Cars 2, yet I enjoyed that movie. What would the rest of you suggest? (Please include in what way your recommendation depends on how familiar someone is with the series.)

edited 4th Sep '11 11:52:19 AM by HiddenFacedMatt

"The Daily Show has to be right 100% of the time; FOX News only has to be right once." - Jon Stewart
Sabertooth1000000000 Sabertooth from Land of the Livid Dead Since: Jul, 2010
Sabertooth
#2: Sep 4th 2011 at 12:12:43 PM

See it if you want, but this movie doesn't deserve any kind of glorification. It's just another rehashed cartoon in live-action for little kids who think that farts are hilarious. If I were you I'd just watch some episodes of the cartoon.

edited 4th Sep '11 12:13:40 PM by Sabertooth1000000000

3DS FC: 1719-3694-1541
Torquey Dreamworks Since: Oct, 2010
Dreamworks
#4: Sep 4th 2011 at 6:20:09 PM

No. Nonono.

Nononononononononononononononononononononono.

No.

edited 4th Sep '11 6:20:30 PM by Torquey

TacoWiz title from location Since: Jul, 2009
title
#5: Sep 4th 2011 at 6:30:36 PM

wild mass guess The human from this movie is actually Billy from Dr. Horrible. He was banished to this dimension.

edited 4th Sep '11 6:31:24 PM by TacoWiz

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SquadalaGuy Magic Prophet from Squadala! We're Off! Since: May, 2011
Magic Prophet
#6: Sep 4th 2011 at 8:41:38 PM

Yes. No. Who cares?

"The Horn of Protection is here for you, Timmy!" - Hank the Super Cheese Loving Rhino Guard from Fairly Odd Parents
WackyMeetsPractical My teacher's a panda from Texas Since: Oct, 2009
My teacher's a panda
#7: Sep 4th 2011 at 10:48:30 PM

In my personal opinion, it was a good movie. I believe most people like to be hard on it because it is a live action adaptation of an old cartoon, and there seems to be an unspoken rule against liking that sort of thing. However this movie has a bunch of good laughs and treats the original source with some respect. There are a few off-color jokes, and if you like that sort of thing I think you would really like this movie. But overall, it's a well made movie with a positive message.

RTaco Since: Jul, 2009
#8: Sep 4th 2011 at 11:04:56 PM

I thought most people disliked it because of all the awful jokes, including the cheap "adult" ones.

edited 4th Sep '11 11:05:49 PM by RTaco

Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#9: Sep 4th 2011 at 11:43:15 PM

It's not an adaptation of an old cartoon. The Smurf is originally a comic book by the Belgian artist Peyo.

HappyComputerist Wananana~ from Doublecross Since: Dec, 2012
Wananana~
#10: Sep 5th 2011 at 3:20:49 AM

Not only is it yet another horrible live-action adaption to a cartoon, but from what I've been hearing, it is pretty bad. If it's full of fart jokes and pop cultural references like many other films of this type are, that's definitely a perfect recipe for disaster.

Un-frickin-touchable.
nabaduco Since: Oct, 2010
#11: Sep 5th 2011 at 7:36:49 AM

Unspoken anti-live action adaptation rule: I think it exists and I wholly support it. For starters, live-action adaptations are a great way to see "We don't take animation seriously. Hence why we believe theatrical releases must be live-action", as an animation fan, that hurts.

Anyway, I have qualms against this movie, merely because of the way the smurfs look. Uncanny Valley + Smurfs make a bad combination for me. So much that I cannot feel like validating the movie by watching it to make an opinion of it.

Vree Since: Jan, 2001
#12: Sep 5th 2011 at 8:14:05 AM

[up]"from what I've been hearing"...Bingo. Don't put it down without even viewing it. It's better than the previews actually.

I was "forced" to watch it last Sunday, and despite my expectations, it turned out to be rather bearable. It suffers from the same effect as, say, Mr. Bean: The Movie or Transformers: everyone is interested in the titular characters, but the creators decided that they will throw in a "relatable" average mortal character and will add a side-plot about his self-discovery due to meeting the title character. Meanwhile every old fan in the audience is yawning and wonder why there was a need for that. Same goes for placing the plot in New York; I can't really think of a good reason except for the half dozen product placements that, no doubt, contributed hugely to the movie being possible in the first place.

ALL THAT SAID, it's a surprisingly fun movie. The previews made it seem like it ran on bad pop colture references and toilet humor, but these hardly feature in the actual film and they are a lot more subtle in context. The plot fits together nicely, all the six smurf characters have their moments, and while the human characters are a tad distracting, they do a good job with them considering the thankless role they 've been put in. While many developments are predictable for the experienced movie-goer, the movie never becomes outright awkward.

I have watched it with a Hungarian voice-over, so I cannot comment on the English dub. In Hungarian, they were wonderful; even though the original voice actors for the cartoon are probably to old to be avaliable, the substitutes made an incredible imitation, down to Gargamel's signature laugh. I can only hope that the English actors did a similarly good performance.

Now, is this a good place to start with Smurf material? Probably not. This is a "happy meal" family movie - half product placement and half appeal to small children. It's not bad for that, even for adults, but it is still in the same category.

The elements they have lifted from the cartoons -like the "blue moon"- are nicely intergated into the story, they feel neither fan exclusive nor an assault on the canon. (The few subtle changes, like Gargamel chasing the smurfs to use them to boost his mediocre powers, rather than to create gold or revenge, actually make more sense than the original canon did IMO, even if some diehards will probably be up in arms over them.)

I think if you are writing on Tv Tropes then you're probably too old for the comic and cartoon series. It is similar to the new "My Little Pony" - it features an idealistic society of cute magical creatures who all have one special role, and their stories revolve around slice-of-life stories on smurfs trying to use or realize their special talent and learning lessons, or epic "David vs Goliath" adventures where the smurfs overcome difficulties despite their small size. But it's the ideal entertainment when you are 7.

HiddenFacedMatt Avatars may be subject to change without notice. Since: Jul, 2011
Avatars may be subject to change without notice.
#13: Sep 5th 2011 at 12:48:30 PM

I think if you are writing on Tv Tropes then you're probably too old for the comic and cartoon series. It is similar to the new "My Little Pony" - it features an idealistic society of cute magical creatures who all have one special role, and their stories revolve around slice-of-life stories on smurfs trying to use or realize their special talent and learning lessons
Well, I sort of did like the new My Little Pony...

That said, in light of the mixed reviews this movie is getting, I will probably wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it instead. Perhaps after all the knee-jerk anti-live-action-sentiment has died down, I might get a better idea how valid the criticisms and praises of this movie are in comparison to each other.

"The Daily Show has to be right 100% of the time; FOX News only has to be right once." - Jon Stewart
RichReeders Official Muffin Watcher from Watching this muffin. Since: Feb, 2011
Official Muffin Watcher
#14: Sep 5th 2011 at 2:11:05 PM

Two words: FUCK. NO.

Don't you try anything, you baked good you.
Buscemi I Am The Walrus from a log cabin Since: Jul, 2010
I Am The Walrus
#15: Sep 5th 2011 at 2:26:41 PM

If the Tourette's Guy were asked this question:

"Hey Dad, do you want to see The Smurfs?"

"NO!"

"C'mon Dad, it's just The Smurfs."

"NO!"

"I heard it was worth watching."

"NO!"

"It's in 3-D."

"BUTT FUCK!"

Person near Tourette's Guy gets one for Attack The Block instead.

edited 5th Sep '11 2:27:44 PM by Buscemi

More Buscemi at http://forum.reelsociety.com/
Crewe Li'l Punk from Gravity Falls, Oregon Since: Apr, 2010
Li'l Punk
#16: Sep 5th 2011 at 2:36:38 PM

I personally thought it was an okay movie, though the whole "replacing words or part of words with 'Smurf'" thing really annoyed me.

And I didn't understand Papa's Heroic Sacrifice at all. It just seemed so pointless.

But then I've never seen/read The Smurfs.

Victory! Honor! Destiny! Mutton!
Shota Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Dancing with myself
CaptainBones Since: Dec, 1969
#18: Sep 6th 2011 at 7:54:20 PM

I don't think I'm going to watch it until it becomes a cheap rental. I've been doing this with a lot of "awful" films that come out, hosting a "stupid movie night" and shamelessly riffing bad films with friends.

Nyarly Das kann doch nicht sein! from Saksa Since: Feb, 2012
Das kann doch nicht sein!
#19: Sep 7th 2011 at 2:45:09 AM

That it's live-action made it already very unappealing to me. But when I heard that the smurfs are thrown into the real modern world in it, any interest, that I still could possibly have, vanished instantly.

It may be that it's better than it sounds, but I sure won't go and find it out.

People aren't as awful as the internet makes them out to be.
Buscemi I Am The Walrus from a log cabin Since: Jul, 2010
I Am The Walrus
#20: Sep 7th 2011 at 7:10:31 AM

It's got Katy Perry attempting to act. There is no such thing as better than it sounds.

More Buscemi at http://forum.reelsociety.com/
ActuallyComma I am making sense! from a mysterious place Since: Feb, 2011
I am making sense!
#22: Sep 7th 2011 at 4:15:42 PM

Seems like people who hate this move greatly outnumber people who have actually seen this movie...

Except [condescending response follows]. Because [sarcasm here]. You do understand [snark], right? POTHOLE TO SARCASM MODE
Shota Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Dancing with myself
#23: Sep 7th 2011 at 4:34:36 PM

Which must be an unimaginable amount of people, given the amount it earned.

edited 7th Sep '11 4:34:43 PM by Shota

Vree Since: Jan, 2001
#24: Sep 7th 2011 at 4:54:52 PM

Well, I sort of did like the new My Little Pony...

I choose the analogy for that reason actually. :D For the cartoon show that is. An analogy for the film...The "Garfield" movie, maybe?

(Btw, I love how we all use the phrase "mixed reviews" for a situation where everyone says that something sucks.[lol])

edited 7th Sep '11 4:57:05 PM by Vree

Buscemi I Am The Walrus from a log cabin Since: Jul, 2010
I Am The Walrus
#25: Sep 7th 2011 at 6:44:59 PM

It's made nearly $400 million worldwide.

More Buscemi at http://forum.reelsociety.com/

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