Smurfs: The Lost Village : Review

An all new take on The Smurfs, and this time it’s fully animated. Smurfs. Living in their secret village, lead by Papa Smurf (Mandy Patinkin), life seems good, fun and routine. That is, until some Smurfs go wandering when they should have stayed in the safe confines of the village.

The Lost Village follows Smurfette (Demi Lovato), and friends Brainy (Danny Pudi – Star Trek: Beyond, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Hefty (Joe Manganiello ) as they race to The Forbidden Forest, trying ever so hard to keep away from the wizard Gargamel (Rainn Wilson), and stumbling upon the biggest secret in Smurf history.

The totally new focus this film takes to telling the Smurf story, means it is devoid of any live characters. This does mean that much more can be done to create a very unique and magical environment for the characters to exist in, but it does feel as if it has taken away a little “something” from some of the characters. Azrael, Gargamel’s cat, is not as cute or entertaining as he was in the other films, but he does steal several scenes from his wizard master.

The animation is superb, and colourful, but the story feels ever so slightly linear. The Smurfs spot something, and the move to that location, the find something more, and move ahead again, meaning the film is likely targeted more at younger viewers, without too much for older audiences. Still a fun and entertaining story, just one that has a simple plot.

Smurfs: The Lost Village is a great film for the school holidays, and is sure to keep the young ones entertained, laughing and happy. The film opens Friday 31 March 2017 in South Africa.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb