This latest installment in the saga of the Smurfs features a surprising new development in the history of the little blue guys, created by Belgian comic artist Peyo (Pierre Culliford) in 1958. For almost 70 years, each of the hundred or so Smurfs has been named for a sole defining characteristic, like Lazy, Grouchy, Baker, or Doctor. Then there is Smurfette, the one female whose defining characteristic is being female. But this movie makes a switch: new Smurfs with regular-guy names, Ken and Ron.
There is plenty to satisfy the long-time fans, including the usual cuddly themes and replacement of various words with “Smurf.” As with the names, though, there are some welcome new twists, starting right at the beginning as we are welcomed into the Smurf community with the familiar Hanna-Barbera theme music, which quickly shifts into a poppy, upbeat Tyla song accompanied by a Busby Berkeley-style dance number.
We’re introduced to a bunch of Smurfs, including Clumsy, List Maker, Brainy, Worry, Sound Effects, with Smurfette (Rihanna, who also co-produced) and the informal leader of the group, Papa (John Goodman). Only Papa knows that the Smurfs are more than a carefree little community. He is hiding a magical book, the only one of four that the Evil Wizards have not captured. As long as he keeps them from having the full set, they cannot complete their plan to take over the world. Papa’s heroic brothers are red-bearded Ken (Nick Offerman) and, seen in a flashback, the blonde-bearded Ron (Kurt Russell).
A new character, No Name (James Corden), has an English accent. He is struggling with an existential crisis because he does not have that “thing” that could give him a name and an identity, and the Smurf name-keeper is just about out of options. No Name goes off into the woods to sing about feeling like an outsider and somehow develops the magical power to shoot light beams from his hands. This alerts Razemel, the evil wizard who is brother to the long-time villain in the Smurf stories, Gargamel (both brothers voiced by JP Karliak). He captures Papa Smurf and threatens him with torture to get him to reveal the location of the book. Ken joins forces with Smurfette and No Name to rescue Papa, leading to many encounters and adventures along the way.
The voice talent is first-rate, with Dan Levy as Razemel’s unflappable intern assistant, the inimitable Natasha Lyonne as the leader of a community of orange fluffballs, and Sandra Oh as the spirited, brave Moxie. Screenwriter Pam Brady establishes a nice contrast between the two sets of brothers: the villains, who are mean to everyone and to each other, and the courageous and honorable Papa, Ken, and Ron, who are devoted to protecting their community. No Name’s search for his “thing” and the pep talk about anything being possible if we work together make their points gently and accessibly, without getting in the way of the adventure, the quest to protect the book from the evil wizards. There are silly kid jokes and some sly, knowing humor for the parents. The friendly tardigrade (Jimmy Kimmel) is a treat, bolstered by an extra glimpse of him mid-credits. Keep an eye—and an ear—on Sound Effects Smurf. He’s my favorite.
Brady, of “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” and some edgier films like “Hamlet 2” and “South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut,” deftly balances heart, humor, and action, especially in the last third, when the characters travel though different dimensions in an entertaining mix of animation styles including Claymation, old-school 8-bit video games, and a child’s crayon drawing. Each one is filled with wit and imagination, and a bit of a rest from the familiar Smurf rounded shapes and candy colors. The message about never confusing kindness with weakness is a valuable life lesson and a reminder of why the Smurfs are so enduringly beloved.
