‘Smurfs’ Review: Rihanna-led Smurfs Musical Reboot Reheats Trolls' Nachos
Hollywood keeps resurrecting those Smurfs whether we want them or not. (And it’s usually “not”.) The second reboot's the charm, right? They're not Sony Animation's problem anymore. It’s up to Paramount Pictures now. Maybe they'll do a fine attempt at honoring Peyo's beloved creations and give them an adaptation finally worth a Smurf... Who am I kidding? Smurfs is a blatant Trolls rip-off without the heart, visual flair, or humor. But at least it has Rihanna, right?
Image copyright (©) Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
MPA Rating: PG (action, language and some rude humor.)
Runtime: 1 Hours and 32 Minutes
Production Companies: Paramount Animation, Domain Entertainment
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Chris Miller
Writer: Pam Brady
Cast: Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Kurt Russell, John Goodman
Release Date: July 18, 2025
In Smurf Village, every Smurf has a role defined by their unique trait—except for No Name Smurf (James Corden), who struggles to fit in. However, he soon reveals magical abilities that accidentally trigger a multiversal catastrophe. News of the resulting portal reaches Razamel the wizard (J. P. Karliak), who tracks down the Smurfs and captures Papa Smurf (John Goodman). Unbeknownst to the others, Papa Smurf holds knowledge of a sentient magical book named Jaunty (voiced by Amy Sedaris), which contains immense power—and the key to helping Razamel gain recognition from the Intergalactic Wizards Alliance (Hannah Waddingham, Nick Kroll, Octavia Spencer). Now, Smurfette, No Name, and a few other Smurfs must embark on a multidimensional mission into the real world to rescue Papa and uncover the secret of their origins.
The Best the Smurfs has Looked on Film
I will confidently give it this: at least Smurfs is not as heavily consumerist as the 2011 movie and is better structured than The Lost Village. Maybe it's my preference for cel-shaded art styles over hyperrealistic or bouncy animation, but out of all the Smurfs movies, it is the most visually appealing and closest stylistically to Peyo's artwork. Speech bubbles and pop-up art create comedic gags that are harmonious with the bright, comic book-inspired animation style. That also stays true when the Smurfs are in real-world settings, where they retain their cel-shaded textures. The animation team at Cinesite has achieved an appealing blend of CG and the real world with enticing lighting dynamics reminiscent of Tom & Jerry (2021), if not higher quality. The team deserves recognition for their efforts. The movie also makes several clever references to the franchise's history, such as a fun ColecoVision Smurfs video game Easter egg that might amuse some older parents and setting the Smurfs’ real-world adventures in France and Germany, where the property is most popular. Though they don’t go to Belgium despite them being a Belgian property. If only their efforts were in a movie worthy of this detail and not a blatant cash grab.
We have Trolls at Home
At first glance, it’s obvious Smurfs was made to reel in the same young audience that loves Trolls and to give producer and Smurfette voice actor Rihanna something for her kid to watch other than DreamWorks’ Home — which has a much better Smurfing soundtrack than her work here. But every moment of Smurfs fails to justify its existence. For a second reboot, its attempt to build a new universe — mostly ignoring Peyo’s original — is little more than a hollow imitation of Trolls. From the new creature designs to the half-hearted musical style (with only two songs), and even Rihanna positioned as their Justin Timberlake equivalent, it all feels derivative and flat.
It's a shame considering the behind-the-scenes talent attached, with Chris Miller (Puss in Boots) directing and Pam Brady (Hot Rod) penning the script. I was particularly disappointed in Pam Brady, whose work I respect, especially #1 Happy Family USA which she co-created with Ramy Youssef earlier this year. Her material is monotonous and unfunny, as it hinges on the use of more modern brands like Zoom and LinkedIn and internet one-liners. "You need therapy.” "I'm a stress eater.” “He's emotionally unavailable." The only funny element was the Razamel-Gargamel sibling dynamic.
Smurfs embodies all the problems that still plague studio family animation. The animated film landscape has evolved significantly since the last two Smurfs entries, and IPs can now be revitalized with a more mature, thoughtful spirit (see: Ninja Turtles). Even Trolls has shown more and more artistic merit and ambition with every entry. Nevertheless, Smurfs still aspires to a shockingly low bar, befitting their height. While not as painful as its 2010s versions, it retains all the same trademarks: brand references, pointless dance sequences, dull musical segments that serve as background noise, James Corden in a leading role, and a voice cast of celebrities who were better compensated for a day of recording than the animators who poured years of time and effort into creating this soulless product.
I hope to God I don't have to live through a third Smurfs reboot within my lifetime. However, if they do, let it be made by artists who aim to respect Peyo’s original work beyond just his visual style rather than churn out more fodder for the Hollywood slop machine. Man they're 0 for 4 now.
FINAL STATEMENT
Smurfs is what you get when you order Trolls from Temu.
