Plot:

The Smurfs live in peace in their mushroom village in the magical forest and prepare for the Blue Moon Festival before. Meanwhile wants to get dub for Clumsy Smurf Papa Smurf roots ventures, but by mistake too close to the area of the evil wizard Gargamel . The haunts him and is led by Clumsy accidentally into the village. The Fugitive ran Clumsy still in the wrong direction and gets along with Papa Smurf, Brainy, McTapfer, Grouchy Smurf, and in a magical waterfall, which they present to the Manhattan transported. Even Gargamel and his cat Azrael follow the Smurfs.
In New York Clumsy comes in a box of promotional specialists Patrick, who takes him home. The other Smurfs follow him and get to know so Patrick and his pregnant wife, Grace. She is excited about the mythical creature, but it does not fit the unannounced visit, because the blue dwarfs not only provide a lot of turmoil, but also disturb him during the creation of a new make-up campaign. By re Clumsys clumsiness then also the false advertising - one with a blue moon - published. The Smurfs will return home as quickly as possible, but they lack the blue moon and a spell.

Meanwhile, Gargamel of Smurf obtained from a crystalline blue essence and their hair is on the heels of the Smurfs. He chases them, but failed again and again. Until it in an antique shop, where the Smurfs are looking for a magic book, Papa Smurf grabs. The other will have to promise not to save him, but to use the spell and return to the blue moon that night back home.

Patrick sees by his wife and the Smurfs, that it would be more important than his family, his work and he decides to rescue Papa Smurf. The Smurfs also participate in spite of their promise to the rescue. Brainy during the portal opens to the village and get help, they stormed Belvedere Castle , where Gargamel has taken root. The dad has got a lot more of essence and has become very powerful. Nevertheless, he defeated the Smurfs and the Magic Wand Clumsy manages to catch the last minute.

Through the magic of the moon has turned blue, what keeps Patrick's procurement office for a PR stunt and not firing him. The Smurfs will return home.

Cast:

Hank Azaria as Gargamel
Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick Winslow
Jayma Mays as Grace Winslow
Sofía Vergara as Odile
Tim Gunn as Henri
Madison McKinley as Model
Meg Phillips as Model
Julie Chang as Newscaster
Roger Clark as Newscaster
Mark Doherty as Bluetooth Businessman
Minglie Chen as Young Woman
Sean Kenin as Guy in Plaid Shirt
Victor Pagan as Bum
Mahadeo Shivraj as Cabbie
Adria Baratta as Anjelou Employee
Paula Pizzi as Odile's Mother
Andrew Sellon as Waiter
Julianna Rigoglioso as Little Sister
Daria Rae Figlo as Blonde Sister
Bradley Gosnell as Toy Salesperson
Heidi Armbruster as Toy Store Parent
Finnerty Steeves as Toy Store Parent
John Speredakos as Parent with Girls
Skai Jackson as Kicking Girl
Alex Hall as Skateboard Kid
Eric Redgate as Skateboard Kid
Jojo Gonzalez as FAO Custodian
Scott Dillin as Cop
Tyree Michael Simpson as Cop
Sean Ringgold as Inmate Bubba
Mario D'Leon as Bubba's Inmate Friend
Liz Smith as Party Guest
Tom Colicchio as Party Guest
Michael Musto as Party Guest
Joan Rivers as Party Guest
Olivia Palermo as Party Guest
Julia Enescu as Party Guest
Lauren Waggoner as Party Guest
Mr. Krinkle as Azrael
Hank as Elway
Jonathan Winters as Papa
Alan Cumming as Gutsy
Katy Perry as Smurfette
Fred Armisen as Brainy
George Lopez as Grouchy
Anton Yelchin as Clumsy
Kenan Thompson as Greedy
Jeff Foxworthy as Handy
John Oliver as Vanity
Wolfgang Puck as Chef
Gary Basaraba as Hefty
Paul Reubens as Jokey
B.J. Novak as Baker
Tom Kane as Narrator Smurf
John Kassir as Crazy Smurf
Joel McCrary as Farmer
Frank Welker as Azrael

Reviews:

Once in a blue moon, one gets a glimpse of what's truly important in life--and it's not always what one might expect. In the hidden land of the Smurfs, the perpetually happy blue creatures are preparing for the Blue Moon festival. They have no clue that the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) is about to follow one of them into their secret world in an attempt to capture their happy essence--a substance guaranteed to render his magic all-powerful. In a striking parallel to Enchanted, a vortex suddenly opens up and sucks Papa, Grouchy, Smurfette, Brainy, Gutsy, and Clumsy Smurf into the middle of New York City, with Gargamel following close behind. Shocked expectant parents Patrick and Grace Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays) end up with an apartment full of the little blue beings. They eventually befriend the Smurfs and agree to help them outsmart Gargamel and find their way back home. What ensues is a danger-filled, comical adventure that takes the Smurfs from Central Park to Patrick's place of employment and even FAO Schwarz. Just when it looks like their plan to return home will fail, and that they've destroyed Patrick's career in the process, things really heat up and everyone learns a lesson about what's really important in life and about believing in oneself. The film does a good job melding live action and animation, and there's plenty of humor involved for both kids and adults. Most kids will laugh their way through the film, but there are some situations of peril that the very youngest or easily frightened might find rather intense. Harris and Mays do a good job interacting with their new blue friends, but it's too bad these talented actors weren't given a bit more depth of character to work with. Azaria is quite an effective villain and Frank Welker's cat Azrael is hysterical. Other notable voice talent includes Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, Alan Cumming as Gutsy, Katy Perry as Smurfette, Fred Armisen as Brainy, George Lopez as Grouchy, and Anton Yelchin as Clumsy. The Smurfs is funny enough family entertainment, but given its star-studded cast, it had the potential to be even better. (Ages 7 and older). --Amazon--

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So, with the disclaimer that this is yes, a formulaic kids' movie, and yes, it's aimed at the nine-and-under set, this is a perfectly fine, even slightly above average film. I have to count myself as a Smurf Hatah from the 80s, and while I'm a bit indifferent to the original comics (they were weird but not weird enough) they were clearly better.

What we have here is a moderately smart tongue-in-cheek post-modern appreciation of the fact that the 80s cartoon Smurfs were incredibly annoying - embracing the original characters even as there's a wink -- the Smurfs admitting their singing is incredibly annoying, and then still doing it, rather sweetly and within limits; the Neil Patrick Harris character pointing out the ludicrousness of the weird premise of 98 male smurfs and 1 female smurf and the whole "Smurf the Smurf, Smurf" vocabulary so we all can get past it and to the slightly "blue" humor (e.g. "Get the Smurf Out of here") and all sorts of reflexive jokes, such as Smurfette, voiced by Katy Perry, saying "I kissed a Smurf...and I liked it!" The plot is your standard 1960s live action Disney film, in the same vein as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes or Herbie, that ilk, with the benefit of 21st century CGI mixed in with the live action and the aforementioned post-modern self-reference. They even work in a nice homage to Peyo by having the Smurfs read up on him (and get a solution to one of their problems) in a book about Les Schtroumpfs. And as boring and trite as that may seem to adult reviewers here, it's at the level of monomyth for the seven year olds in the audience.

The PG is largely for the double entendres that will fly over kids' heads, a little very mild bathroom humor, and extremely cartoonish (appropriately) violence mostly having to do with Gargamel and Azrael getting bonked and zapped as they try to smurf the smurfing Smurfs.

Harris and Hank Azaria do star turns, Harris as the Fred McMurray-everyman-Dad type, and Azaria as Gargamel. There's no nuance or subtlety because THAT'S NOT WHAT KIDS WANT TO SEE IN A MOVIE. Cheers to them for doing them.

If you insist on being a hipster, content yourself with trying to spot the many visual inside film cinematic quotes. I spotted clever visual quotes from Reservoir Dogs, Braveheart, the Rock, and the Planet of the Apes, among others.

And, we get a modestly hip soundtrack running from Vampire Weekend to the Smurfs doing a sort of duet with Run DMC and Neil Patrick via Guitar Hero.

So stop complaining. What did you expect from a Smurfs live action movie? I expected far less than what I got, which was more entertainment sitting with the kids in the movie theater than I had from the likes of Gnomeo and Juliet.--IMDB--

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Having grown up watching the Smurfs, I missed them all these years they were discontinued. Not sure why this very cartoon I loved had to be discontinued. As soon as the film came out, my friends (who are also fellow Smurf fans) and I supported the film on opening night, Friday July/29/2011. We watched the 9:15pm show in Edwards Stadium 12 Theater in Brea, CA. I thoroughly enjoyed my very first 3D film in my local theater in Brea, CA. This was in a downtown area, so it was very conviently located; both my friends and I loved the movie from the beginning to the end. The three of us were the last ones to leave the theater while everyone was already gone. We love the Smurfs THIS BIG. Anyway, they had to twist the original storyline a bit to make a more dramatic story out of the Smurfs, and the 3D effects were logical along with the storyline. I'm very picky once it comes to a movie as I would never pay full price for a movie; I've seen how much movie prices have gone up since when it was only $4 back in the days.... I'd most always wait for it to become cheaper to watch, and I would not just dare watch ANY movie. Yet I chose this as my very 1st. 3D experience because I knew it was my type of movie. Alas!! I'd go back once it gets cheaper cuz I don't think I can afford $15 for a 3D movie that many times even though I loved it. Both the actor+actress did a great job in the film throughout. Since I'm not to spoil the movie for further customers who want to support it, as they should, I feel ya'll should give it a shot. This film kept me laughing from the opening of the movie to the closing. I was drawn with the Smurfs; it was refreshing to hear Katy Perry's voice as Smurfette; Smurfette took on a larger role in this film version and some of you would be surprised to find out what she CAN actually do if you gave The Smurfs film version a shot. George Lopez was even one of the male Smurfs....can't remember exactly which Smurf because the End Credits rolled up too quickly~One of my friends made a comment, but I can't recall now. I was going for Katy Perry as Smurfette and Neil Patrick as the main actor, so this movie made my past weekend Smurfabulous!!!! You'll miss out if you don't support the Smurfs' successful return. From being a huge Smurf fan, I've started collecting all the Smurfs' toys now starting with Brainy as I just found out that McDonalds is supporting this film...Currently staring at Brainy (holding up a phone) as I'm writing this review. They are just so cute, and they say "Smurf" w/every word!!! I believe that this film was and STILL IS Smurfacular!!!! --Amazon--

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This review is from someone who grew up with the Franco-Belgian Comic book school, and is glad to see the growing appeal of this universe in today's cinema. Yep, it's not just about superheroes, or manga.
"Smurfs 3D" … in New York City … the kind of plot premises that begs so much for harsh critics, you wouldn't dare to give it the benefit of doubt. Indeed, the whole purpose of the film sounds like the kind of blasphemies that pervert the notion of entertainment, as a simple excuse to provide 3D and special effects driven thrills. But still, with that predisposition to hate the film in your mind, you sit in the movie theater and try to enjoy it on the basis of the 100 minutes you're about to spend. And then something magical happens …

I'm not denying that the movie could have been much better, that some aspects are debatable, starting with the presence of that Scottish Smurf. From all the Smurfs that populate the village, why did they come with this one as one of the lead team? Why not Hefty, Handy, Greedy, Lazy, Vanity for The Great Smurf's sake? They were meeting a Marketing Manager in a Cosmetic Company? Why not? Anyway, 100 Smurfs, would have been closer to an Invasion than a 'Coming to America' film, but still, the film could have dealt with other Smurfs characters. Anyway, despite all the critical aspects, there was something I liked in that film, and sorry for the cliché, but the reason is that it had a heart and some parts were very funny.

I know this word is hackneyed and can be applied for any average Disney film, but I was in the theater and I heard kids giggling to Brainy Smurf's comments, Grouchy's eternally killjoy attitude, and Clumsy's … uh … clumsiness, I could hear them laughing to Gargamel's misadventures, and his hilarious interactions with Azrael (probably the most memorable character from the film), so I thought to myself: these kids who didn't grew up with the Hanna-Barbera cartoons or never read any Peyo's albums, these kids were discovering MY universe, my good old 80's memories and probably the most cherished part of my childhood. And what was happening was the connection between two generations, I felt like a child again, and these kids were probably going to discover one of the most appealing original universes: the Smurfs.

If only for this exhilarating ride into childhood, the movie accomplishes something. But let's get back to the 'heart' comment, again, special effects are not used for the sake of them, the movie chooses to focus on one of the most endearing Smurfs: Clumsy, and uses him as a key character to trace an evolution that would inspire all the kids who suffer from lack of self- confidence. It also parallels the Smurfs' mission with the situation of their two hosts, Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays as Patrick and Grace a young couple waiting for a happy event. The couple could have had a kid, an argument before a separation and reconciliation, but no, they love each other and the movie doesn't embarrass itself with the kind of clichés we would have expected. Besides, and thanks to the presence of Smurfs, we're constantly reminded that we're dealing with a child's world, that there's no need to be cynical and to care of plot details.

I know that beyond the presence of the Scottish Smurf, some would point out the fact that the characters seems not to be aware of the existence of Smurfs, so we're ought to believe this is a parallel universe where the Smurfs are unknown. But read this again, and you'll realize how futile this whole thinking process is, it's a film mean for pure enjoyment, and on that level, the film was at least faithful to its trailer, whatever people expected, it was clearly shown in the trailer. I didn't even expect a part set in the village, and I was glad it took a great part of it. Maybe I would have preferred the film to be set IN the village, well, this is an argument I would accept. But overall, the film respected its premise, and I'd rather have a good time watching the Smurfs of 3D and emptying my box of popcorn than scratching my head over the symbolism of a Terrence Malick's film during 15 minutes of beautiful nothingness.

Some clever minds would probably criticize the whole merchandising aspect of the film, as the reason to be of the film, but let's not forget that the Smurfs have always been merchandised, hell, didn't we grew up and play with these figurines when we were kids. All these arguments wouldn't have worked if the movie was a mediocre attempt to resurrect forgotten characters, or just an excuse to provide cheap comic of oppositions moments like the unforgivable "Visitors in America" but the story works, with the right dosage of complexity of the plot and simplicity in its resolution, it's not about what happens but how it does, and on that level, both visually and on the writing department, I don't think Peyo would have been ashamed by the results.

A good movie for the kiddies, and the adults who'll watch the film from their kids, or their inner child's perspective, and a great scene-stealing performance by Hank Azaria. The movie is cute, because the Smurfs have always defined cuteness, and it's entertaining, heart- warming, thrilling, and visually delightful. A cute little film we would all watch and leave by whistling the immortal :"La-lala", a tune that defines a whole generation.…--IMDB--

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The Smurfs Videos

Twitter.com - Follow Us! The Smurfs hits theaters on August 3rd, 2011. Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, George Lopez, Katy Perry, Hank Azaria, Sofia Vergara, Alan Cumming, Jonathan Winters, Anton Yelchin, Paul Reubens, John Oliver, Kenan Thompson, Fred Armisen, BJ Novak, Jeff Foxworthy, Tim Gunn, Wolfgang Puck The adventures of a mythical race of little blue creatures in medieval times that must deal with each other and humans, particularly an evil wizard obsessed with capturing them for his own sinister purposes. The Smurfs teaser trailer courtesy Columbia Pictures.

When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours.

The Smurfs Photo Gallery

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