A Disappointing New Entry in the Smurfs Franchise
A recently released movie, which aimed to capture the attention of summer blockbuster audiences, has faced harsh criticism from critics who consider it one of the worst films they have ever seen. The family film has drawn a wave of one-star reviews that describe it as “punishing,” “painfully sentimental,” and “kryptonite to comedy and entertainment.”
The film, titled Smurfs, relies heavily on the involvement of music superstar and billionaire entrepreneur Rihanna. It has been in cinemas worldwide for less than two full days, but the initial reaction from professional critics has been overwhelmingly negative. While fan reactions during the opening weekend showed a seemingly positive score of 64% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the professional critics were far less kind, giving it only 21%.
Many critics were extremely critical of the film, with several outlets awarding it the lowest possible rating. Despite this, Paramount Pictures made significant efforts to promote the film by casting Rihanna as Smurfette and assembling a star-studded cast featuring vocal talents such as John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Kurt Russell, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Natasha Lyonne, Jimmy Kimmel, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, and James Corden.
Based on the Belgian comic book series created in 1958, this is the characters’ sixth feature-length film. It is billed as a musical fantasy comedy and follows a Smurf named No Name (played by James Corden) who faces an identity crisis over his desire to become a magician. The story takes a dramatic turn when Papa Smurf (Goodman) is kidnapped, leading to chaos across multiple dimensions.
Critic Reactions
The film received scathing reviews from various publications. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin called it “one of the worst films I’ve ever seen,” describing it as “a colossal pile of ‘Smurf’” and questioning whether it would keep children quiet for an hour and a half.
Johnny Oleksinski of The New York Post was even more critical, awarding the film zero out of four stars and calling it “one of the worst movies you’ll see all year.” He described the experience as being “tortured” by the little creatures, adding that he “Smurf-ing loathed it.”
The film’s music, including an original song from Rihanna titled “Friend of Mine,” also drew criticism. Oleksinski mocked the lyrics, saying, “Does happy ever after really ever happen?” and answering, “Not for anyone unlucky enough to have bought a ticket to Smurfs.”
In Empire, John Nugent described the film as “a tedious series, with more than a whiff of corporate mandate about it.” He also questioned if any fans of the Smurfs still existed. For The Times, Kevin Maher called it “profoundly, oppressively empty” and said there was no reason to see it.
The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey complained that the film was “derivative and so crammed with new Smurfs lore that it may make you yearn for the comparatively humble hijinks of Marvel’s multiverse.” Even The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw, who gave the animated film two stars, described it as a “laborious slice of content.”
Film Authority’s review was particularly harsh, calling the film “lazy, derivative and painfully sentimental.”
Box Office Performance
Despite the critical backlash, the film is expected to have a modest opening weekend, with projections of $12 million (£8.9m), according to Deadline. The production cost around $58 million before marketing expenses.
Director Chris Miller praised Rihanna’s involvement, calling her “invaluable” and highlighting her contributions to the character of Smurfette. He revealed that the team spent over a year working on subtle changes to her appearance, aiming to bring back some of the original Peyo designs with slight modifications.
“With Rihanna, it’s like showing her art and really just getting her to react. She was invaluable in that way,” Miller said.
Smurfs is now playing in cinemas. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting the Submit Stuff page.
