Who doesn’t love a good time at the movies? My kids and I were given the opportunity to screen Smurfs: The Lost Village last weekend in exchange for telling you all about it.
And the verdict from my two junior move reviewers? Smurftastic!
{Their mom actually had a good time, too.}
Here’s what you need to know.
Movie Synopsis
opens April 7th
In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!
Thoughts From This Mom
While I watched the Smurfs cartoons growing up, I hadn’t seen the previous movies in this franchise – and neither had my kids. I was a little concerned that we might feel like we missed out on something or lacked critical information, but we didn’t even notice. And the best part was that I was actually entertained. I’ve gone to a couple of high-profile kids’ movies in the last few months and found myself bored, just waiting for the movie to end.
There are a couple instances of very mild “potty humor” and the Smurfs demonstrate disobedience to their Papa Smurf. But neither bothered me; I was relieved that this movie wasn’t chock-full of inappropriate innuendos that seem to fill other kids’ movies these days in order to hold the attention of the parents.
Things to Consider
My kids are 4 and 8, and they both loved the movie. There are some chase scenes, along with a villain (Gargamel), but neither were overly frightening. Gargamel and his sidekicks are more goofy than scary, and the movie is so brightly colored that it made the chase scenes and startling surprises seem less intense.
I asked my youngest several times throughout the movie if she was scared, and she always enthusiastically said, “no!” Unless your child is easily frightened, this shouldn’t be a problem – though I wouldn’t take a child under three to this movie.
Finally, it’s important to note that Gargamel is a wizard and the Smurfs are magical creatures. So if your family prefers to avoid movies that reference magic, you might want to consider that. In no way did this movie have an overall “dark” theme, but it’s worth mentioning if that’s important to you.
Final Thoughts
I grew up watching the Smurfs cartoons. And the little blue creatures were exactly as I remember: fun, funny, and entertaining. The movie held my attention (and my kids’ attention!) for the full time and it’s not overly lengthy – about an hour and 20 minutes. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon, take the kids for a Smurfing good time!
{And don’t forget to use my awesome tricks to save a ton of money on your day out at the movies.}
Make the fun last even longer with great kids activities including coloring sheets, a drawing tutorial, and Smurf quizzes – all available on SmurfsMovie.com!
