Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Smurfs: The Lost Village

DIRECTOR:  Kelly Asburi  VOICE CAST: Demi Lovato, Joe Manganiello, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Mandy Patinkin, Rainn Wilson  SCREENWRITER: Stacey Harman & Pamela Ribon  PRODUCER: Mary Ellen Bauder, Raja Gosnell, Jordan Kerner & Ben Waisbren  EDITOR: Bret Marnell  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Christopher Lennertz  GENRE: Fantasy/Adventure/comedy  DISTRIBUTOR: Sony Pictures  LOCATION: USA  RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes
Technical assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: V13
MTRCB Rating: GA
The film starts with Papa Smurf (Mandy Patinkin), the fatherly and protective leader,  describing the Smurf Village as a caring, happy and peaceful community of extremely small creatures. Among them are Clumsy (Jack McBrayer), Brainy (Danny Pudi), and Hefty (Joe Manganiello).  The only girl Smurfette (Demi Lovato) is not a real Smurf, but a creation of Gargamel (Rainn Wilson), a vicious human magician who wants to capture all the Smurfs and take their essence to become the most powerful wizard.  Instead of spying on the Smurfs, Smurfette is transformed by Papa Smurf to be one of them.  She will soon be joined by Clumsy, Brainy and Hefty on a mission to find the Lost Village and to warn them against Gargamel. The problem is, Gargamel’s bird and cat friends see the Smurf quartet, thus this villain moves to beat them to the Lost Village.
Smurfs: The Lost Village, the third offering of the animation film series, focuses on the character of Smurfette. Despite the twist, the plot is predictable and some of the scenes are recurring and can be boring.  The movie tries to highlight woman power through a character capable of calling the shots, conscientisizing, and bravely engaging in heroic acts. The computerized production design is no better than other animated films, but some impressive visual effects help up things a bit, like the entertaining multi-function Bee-machine. Voicing is likewise good, dialogues are meaningfully delivered thus easily defining the good and the bad characters. The musical score, sounds, and lighting are fine and somehow contribute as the saving grace of a mediocre storyline.

The search for self-identity can be a meaningful journey if you choose it to be so. While others’ sensitivity and acceptance of what you are going through are instrumental to your success, more important is your acceptance of your very own existence—you must have the awareness and proper motivation to do what you can for yourself and for others. Smurfs: The Lost Village is a very positive film that highlights the successful search for self-worth as the main theme and the triumph of good over evil as a sub-theme.  In the course of fighting evil the qualities of kindness, strength, sacrifices, and prayers prevail.  Greed has no place if there is unity, truth and determination. The film may be intended for child viewers, but there are messages that need guidance of adults to explain. An example is the scene when Smurfette pretends to submit to the reprimands of Papa Smurf but obviously deceives the elder together with fellow violators.  Woman power is another sub-theme of the film but considering the origin of Smurfette, an adult companion may explain to young viewers that regardless of characterization, women’s capabilities depicted in the film reflect real life situations.