Writer: Dhivashini

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Watch this if you liked: “Mr Popper’s Penguins”, “Garfield: The Movie” and “Yogi Bear”

From the director who brought us "Scooby Doo", "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and "Big Momma's House", Raja Gosnell brings the world of the Smurfs to the silver screen. Avid fans of the animated series may be a tad disappointed with the film, but children will smile and laugh as the little blue creatures tackle their way through the Big Apple and into the audiences' hearts. With a little help from Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace Winslow (Jayma Mays), the Smurfs stand together to triumph against the evil wizard Gargamel, played by Hank Azaria.

"The Smurfs" follows our little blue friends as they are chased out of their Smurf Village and into Central Park by the evil wizard Gargamel. Barely 9 inches tall, they have to find their way back home before Gargamel and his devilish cat Azariel tracks them down. Thrown into the mix of all of this, is a subplot involving Patrick Winslow, who works for an advertising agency owned by Odile (Sofia Vergara) and is tasked with creating an advertising campaign, unless the Smurfs get in his way, of course. The plot is simple and conventional, exactly what one would expect from such a film.

With that being said, the graphics of the film are average, mainly focusing on making the Smurfs. Neil Patrick Harris is sublime in his role while performing with little blue CGI's the height of 3 apples, while Hank Azaria, looking like a total opposite of Lord Voldermort, prances around New York rather awkwardly with his cat, voiced by Frank Welker. However, the stars of the film are definitely the voices actors of the Smurfs. Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf and Katy Perry as Smurfette are perfect in their roles. Allan Cumming as Gutsy, George Lopez as Grouchy and Anton Yelchin as Clumsy Smurf have their moments during the film, evoking laughter every now and then. Don't forget to look out for the famous Tom Kane (prominent Hollywood voice actor for over 25 years) who plays the narrator Smurf and even Joan Rivers who makes a cameo appearance in the film.

"The Smurfs" was made especially for the young ones and they are exactly for who this film will entertain. However, if you can forget the tiny loopholes in the plot and the corny one-liners, you might just be walking out the theatre with a smile on your face, humming the Smurf's theme song to yourself.

Cinema Online, 23 August 2011