The Smurfs 2 Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Katy Perry, Hank Azaria, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Raja Gosnell

Writers: David N. Weiss, David Ronn, J. David Stem, Jay Scherick, Karey Kirkpatrick

Producers: Ben Haber, Jordan Kerner

Format: Multiple Formats

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

        The origins of Smurfette are widely discussed in the world of Smurfs. Why is there only one female Smurf and where did she come from? This answer has long been a part of the Smurf mythology, and answering it becomes wonderful idea for the basic premise of The Smurfs 2. Not only do we discover that Smurfette (voiced by pop star Katy Perry) was actually created by Gargamel (Hank Azaria) as a spy to be unleashed on the Smurfs, but there are additional creations by Gargamel called the Naughties. Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette to try and discover the magic that Papa Smurf used to make her into a real Smurf.

 

        This is where the plot detours from the origin Smurf story a bit, because it is magic that made Smurfette rather than simply the love and kindness given to her from the Smurfs. This allows for a reason to kidnap Smurfette, as Gargamel attempts to create his own Smurfs for stealing their essence and becoming the world’s most famous magician. The plot wears a bit thin, but there is plenty of Smurf humor and action to keep this film from being boring. The casting of the adult characters is more likely to engage the adult audience members, while the children viewers will be enamored by the magical CGI blue creatures.

 

        The most uninspired thing about this film is the title, which doesn’t allude to any of the plot points in the sequel. As well as being something of an origins film for Smurfette, this storyline also takes the creatures to the city of Paris. The first had them in the hustle-and-bustle of Manhattan, but this time there are plenty of other gags involving French citizens and the iconic landmarks of Paris. Patrick and Grace Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays) are also back to help their blue buddies, along with Patrick’s unreliable father, Victor (Brendan Gleeson). It is rather amazing that this film was able to gather such a cast, and also disappointing at how much they are wasted, with the exception of Azaria in the dominant role of Gargamel.

 

        The Blu-ray combo pack comes with a DVD and a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy of the film, though this is only the beginning of the extras that come with this high definition release. Exclusive to the Blu-ray are a number of interactive features, including a Smurf-O-Vision app for ipads and such. There are also three additional features, two of which are about the addition of the Naughties Hackus and Vexy to the storyline and Smurf mythology. The DVD also includes a featurette about Smurfette, a featurette about animating Azrael and deleted scenes. There is also the mini movie created as a Halloween special, “The Legend of Smurfy Hollow.”

       

Entertainment Value: 5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 4.5/10

Historical Significance: 4/10

Disc Features: 8.5/10