What is the return of the Smurfs to the cinema worth? (critical)

The director of the Chat Potté is in command of this family comedy playing with the different styles of animation but sorely lacking in inventiveness in his gags.

“” “La La La Smurf la la, Come Smurfer in heart… ”In the depths of an enchanted forest pile up mushroom houses of all colors, pretty flowers and … a string of small blue guys. No doubt, we are well in front of the smurfs. On a pop air interpreted by Rihanna, the little men gesturing in the heart and we smurf a remarkable dancing show.

More seriously, still in the vein of a rather lucrative franchise, the Grand Smurf band is back with a new opus, The Smurfs – The film. Imagined by the director of Potted catChris Miller, this family animation comedy follows the incredible adventures of all these little village populated by blue guys. This time, it is their leader, the famous Grand Smurf, who is in danger, wildly captured by the evil brothers that we no longer present -Razamel and Gargamel -. The unnamed Smurf and the Smurfette fly to its rescue and quickly, heavy secrets are revealed and the two herbal adventurers will have to save much more than their leader: all the goodness of the universe is threatened by the great organization of the wizards of evil (and yes, just that).

Of Belgian origin, the comic strip “Smurfs”Locked the childhood of several generations. Born under the pencil stroke of Peyo in 1958, the adventures of this little blue people fueled 42 volumes before making their way to the cinema and multiplying adaptations on the big screen. After having made the choice of a 3D animation in the previous opus, the Smurmpfs revive with their origins thanks to 2D, closer to comics. Miller wants to bring its touch of modernity. parallel, the mentality of the great Smurf and his friends did not move a bit.

On the humor side, we are witnessing an accumulation of repetitive and therefore not inventive gags. Only the soundmate Smurf manages to seduce and provide a comic note that works. But to bring back the great Smurf healthy and sound and try to save the magic grimoire, the band of little blue elves embarks on a incredible adventure which, by dint of borrowing all the directions loses us on the way. With a trip to Paris and then in space, the landscapes parade a thousand an hour, punctuated by pop music, transforming the global story into a rather indigestible proposal that we struggle to appreciate.

But despite its many faults, The Smurfs – The film offers the opportunity to appreciate the nostalgia that the sublime colors of the mushroom village, faithful to the comic strip, provide. Chris Miller goes even further on this ground: he pays tribute to the history of animation thanks to a succession of worlds inspired by all dimensions. The Smurfs pursued by Razamel venture into the various sub-genres of animation: plasticine, stop-motion, animated…, creating a pretty visual fresco that amazes us. A wink that extends to the Marvel comics with the appearance of a smurf with blond hair whose disturbing resemblance can be denied with Thor. Without forgetting the inseparable morality of the adventures of blue guys, which once again delivers a message of hope on the values of friendship and the symbolism of the community, with a nice conclusion – a little cheesy but always welcome – “Union is the Smurf”.

By Chris Miller. With the votes (in VF) of Jérôme Commandeur, Sofia Essaïdi, François Damiens… Duration: 1h32. Release on July 16, 2025