Did anyone literally think the Smurfs 1 was a good idea?
If so, I would like to wish said person an itchy rash in a hard to scratch place.
So, in Smurfs cannon, wasn’t Smurfette created as an evil Smurf to infiltrate the Smurf village (because Smurfs aren’t female naturally), but then got turned good by Papa Smurf?
So does the Naughties plot and the fact that Smurfette seems to be their target to make “naughty” address this?
And an even better question: why do I know this info about Smurfs and why do I care? This movie is a terrible idea.
Do you have a cite for that? I seriously doubt that the time required to create the models and texture them comes close to the time the animation and other stuff needs. That kind of sounds like a clay-mation sequel should be much cheaper than the first, and I highly doubt that. Another thing to keep in mind is that movie makers are going to up the ante with every movie, simply because the technology has improved so much. Take a look at Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 and see how much better and more detailed each looks than the previous. I don’t even know if the character models would stay the same in each movie.
I’m just hoping Syfy makes Smurfnado
Only if they call it Smyrfnydo.
Smyrfnydo on Syfy.
The movie-review column in the paper here gave Smurfs 2 a grade of F, which they very rarely do. According to the reviewer, it’s too dark to be appropriate for children, and unenjoyable to anyone else.
I do kind of wonder who the audience for these movies is supposed to be. Were many children today even familiar with the Smurfs prior to the 2010 movie? I don’t have kids so I’m not really in touch with what kids today like, but I don’t think the cartoon series has been on television for years.
I assume that the success of the movies has been because people my age and older who watched the Smurfs cartoons or read the comics growing up are taking their kids to see the movies. The casting seems intended to appeal more to adults than children (I doubt many kids even know who John Oliver is), and personally I probably would have been willing to pay to see some a non-Smurfs comedy starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, and Sofia Vergara. But the reviews I’ve seen indicate that the Smurfs movies aren’t good enough to be enjoyable for adults, and if they’re going for nostalgia value then (as others have mentioned) it seems like adults who remember the comics/cartoon fondly would prefer a movie set in the fantasy world of the Smurfs.
I don’t know that we can necessarily assume that the people behind the Smurfs movies care as much about the quality of their animation as Pixar/Disney. The Toy Story movies were also father apart; there were four years between 1 and 2, and more than a decade between 2 and 3. The first Smurfs movie was just two years ago, and I doubt technology has improved as much in those two years as it did between 1999 and 2010.
It’s pretty much the plot of the whole movie.
Hmm, I think they are using “dark” wrong. There were moments when Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Neal Patrick Harris were soul searching but they came off as boring life lesson stuff instead of dark. This was really like an episode of Full House. There wasn’t anything that wasn’t appropriate for children. I often have to reassure my daughter that everyone will live or escape from whatever situation they’re in or console her over a characters death, but not in this movie. Not at all. Even the most dangerous stuff near the climax was almost laughably tame.
(I’m a 35 year old man defending Smurfs 2, what is wrong with my life?)
Forget the Smurfs, they are also releasing this week a movie based on the old Top Cat cartoon. (Which is probably a mystery to a lot of younger Dopers.) Could there possibly be anyone under 20 that is begging to see this? 30 episodes in the early 60s. Plus it was released in Mexico 2 years ago and is just now seeing a US release. Shelf crud.
It’s so bad an idea that right now it’s RT rating is one percent higher than S2. Must be that Rob Schneider magic.
Oh, I can see it now:
huge storm special effect
cue Gargamel still standing after the storm has passed
Gargamel- “A-ha…! You and your silly Smurf magic! Did you really think your swirling storm could affect the Mighty Gargamel…!? I haven’t been affectedat all! Come, Azrael, back to the lab. We’ll make them rue this day…!”
Cue Muffled “Ah-ROOOoooooo!” sound
Gargamel- " Azrael, I’ve had enough of your silly games! Where are you hiding! Azrael?"
Gargamel turns and the end of a cats tail now extends out of the back of his pantaloons
Hisssssssss! Spittttt!
It’s called “being a father.” 
Betcha it’s not nearly as much WTFery as Smurfs and the Magic Flute was.
Word! Right? What were they thinking?
Here’s a good review with a very excellent title:
From what I’ve read, it was pretty much made for Mexico where Top Cat is popular enough to justify a crappily animated film. I don’t think they’re expecting big returns elsewhere (it’s already come and gone in the UK with minimal reaction).
Wasn’t there going to be a Hong Kong Phooey movie? I seem to recall seeing a teaser for that once. Maybe it’s been abandoned.
Oh sweet jeebus, I’m getting ready to see this movie again. I’m probably the only adult on earth to see it twice, so that should make me the world’s foremost Smurfs 2 expert, assuming I survive. (Is anyone available to shoot me in the next 20 minutes?)
I met someone yesterday that thinks Smurf’s 2 is the bestest thing in the whole world. Of course, she’s 5 years old, and I’m her guardian ad litem.
Smurfs vs Octoshark
The first Smurfs movie was not something I would have ever gone out of my way to see, but my friends had it from Netflix and put it on, and I watched it with them. It wasn’t terrible. I’m not even a big Smurfs fan so I can’t say nostalgia is what made me think it wasn’t all that bad.
I don’t get the hate for it honestly, I guess. I have seen some truly awful kid’s movies like Doogal or however you spell it. Maybe you guys haven’t seen the worst of the worst, and just don’t know how relatively good The Smurfs actually was?
That being said, I hope I don’t ever see the Smurfs 2 but I’m not going to actively avoid it either.
Of course you are! Katy Perry & Christina Ricci, two smokin’ hot brunettes in a fun summer film? Absolutely…!
… what do you mean its only a cartoon…?