The Smurfs in 3D

They're back! The new movie opens Friday.

The Smurfs is a trip down memory lane, with the all the familiar characters – Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Gargamel and even his kitty sidekick Azrael, to name a few. The little blue creatures even sing the same tune we all grew up with: La, la, la-la-la-la, la, la-la-la-la….

The plot follows a group of Smurfs as they are sucked into a vortex that lands them in New York City. One adventure leads to another as they try to find a way to get back home while avoiding the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria).  Luckily, Papa Smurf (Jonathan Winters), Smurfette (Katy Perry), Grouchy Smurf (George Lopez) and a few others befriend human couple Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and his pregnant wife Grace (Jayma Mays). As the couple helps to get the Smurfs home, they all learn important life lessons from one another. One of these lessons, as Papa Smurf says, are “You never give up on family.”

Overall, the 2011 movie is a new and improved version of the beloved cartoon series. The 3D effects and witty dialogue will keep both children and adults entertained. My 8-year-old nephew, Brandon – along with every other kid in the audience – expressed their amazement with a “Wow!” each time a character seemed to jump out of the screen. Brandon “really liked” the movie, and even though the 3D effects were fascinating, his favorite part was “When the smurfs went home!”

– Island Family reader