The Smurfs 2 
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Hank Azaria, Brendan Gleeson (Voices of ) Katy Perry, Christina Ricci, Jonathan Winters, J.B. Smoove, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin
Directed by: Raja Gosnell
Rated: PG
Run Time: 105 mins
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family/ 3D
Opens July 31st
By Lisa Minzey of The Reel Critic.com
Opening mid week is the sequel to the 2011 film, “The Smurfs”. In “The Smurfs 2” we find the Smurfs preparing a surprise party for Smurfette’s birthday. Giving a brief origin story on how Smurfette (Katy Perry - voice) joined the Smurfs, she was created by Gargamel (Hank Azaria), making her a naughty Smurf with a grey complexion. She infiltrated the Smurf’s village, cause quite a bit of damage until Papa Smurf (Jonathan Winters - voice) did a spell and made the good blue Smurf we all know and love.
When all the guys in the village blew Smurfette on her birthday, she felt neglected and went off on her own. On the other side of the dimensional portal, Gargamel was up to his old tricks again, this time in Paris, France. Apparently, he’s some sort of celebrity in the human world for his magic show. He uses the essence of Smurfs to power his wand, and he has created two more pseudo Smurfs, Vexy (Christina Ricci - vice) and Hackus (J.B. Smoove - voice). The look like the other Smurfs, but lack the same blue skin/ magic essence. In his latest evil plan, he’s tasked Vexy to kidnap Smurfette so she will tell them how to make the Smurf’s magic essence.
Vexy nabs Smurfette and is determined to turn her into a Naughty, which is a badly behaving Smurf. Papa Smurf and the rest of the other Smurfs feeling bad for tricking Smurfette gather a search party to go to the human world to find her. They will need help from their human friends Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace Winslow (Jayma Mays), whose own growing brood, Blue (Jacob Tremblay) and Pat’s step-father Victor (Brendan Gleeson) team up with the Smurfs, traveling to Paris to get back their girl. They all quickly realize that getting Smurfette back will be harder than they originally thought, putting all their relationships to the test.
The loveable blue characters have evolved some from the last film. They don’t over use the Smurf word for everything, which is a pleasant improvement over the first film. In the first film, the word was on overkill. The message of this film is driven home both through the Smurfs and Human storylines, that family doesn’t have to be blood to care for someone and that your origin doesn’t really matter; that it is your choice on whom to be that determines your character. Aside from the heartfelt messages, the film is full of slapstick, nonsensical humor that will surely please the kids. Even though this has the 3D version, the graphics would be just as enjoyable in 2D. Check out “The Smurfs 2” when it opens in theaters nationwide starting Wednesday July 31, 2013.
