I grew up with The Smurfs, I have vivid memories of playing the Smurfs (or Smurf as it was called) game for the Atari 2600 as a kid. Released in 2011, the live-action Smurfs movie is a ton of fun and something I loved watching with my son. It is brought to us by Sony Pictures Animation and it truly is a movie that is great for the whole family.
How to Stream or Download The Smurfs (2011)
To stream or to download the film from a digital store, click on the Download button located at the end of this review. Check out also our review of Smurfs: The Lost Village.
The Movie Review
The movie is a mixture of live-action with real-life actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria. The Smurfs are computer generated and they look fantastic, they look just like I imagined they would when I was a kid. They also created some Smurfs just for this movie such as Gutsy Smurf who I got a real kick out of as he is Scottish.
The Smurfs is a movie that moves at a really fast pace. The movie starts us off in the land of The Smurfs with Gargamel (Hank Azaria) up to his usual tricks of trying to capture the Smurfs with his cat Azrael. Clumsy Smurf makes a big mistake and this leads Gargamel to the Smurfs Village.
As they all feel, they along with Gargamel end up transported to New York City! It is here that they meet two humans in Pat and Grace who agree to help The Smurfs get home. Things are complicated as Gargamel captures Papa Smurfs and the rest of the Smurfs have to try and get him back.
The Smurfs is just a really fun movie and I think that having a smaller cast of Smurfs once they got to New York was the right call. It gives each one more time to let their personality shine through and I get that some people may be mad some Smurfs do not get as much screen time as others, but I think they handled it very well.
Adults and kids will be laughing the whole time they watch this movie. There is some great humor here too, the way Gargamel takes to be in this world is pretty damn hilarious. At the end of the day, this is a movie for kids and it can be pretty predictable, but I know that my son was on the edge of his seat worrying if Papa Smurf would be saved and if they would ever get home.
I think that mixing live-action and computer-generated Smurfs was the right call. Sony Pictures Animation made a fully computer-generated movie called Smurfs: The Lost Village which is fun, but I prefer the mixture of styles in the first two movies. As this movie was a real favorite of my son when he was younger, no exaggeration, I must have seen this 20 or more times.
However, when he would pick a movie and he would choose The Smurfs, I would never mind as it was always a lot of fun. This is a movie that I actually have the 3D Blu-Ray of and the 3D version is fantastic! In all, I highly recommend that you check this one out, it is the perfect movie for a family movie night as kids and adults can have fun with it.
If you enjoyed this title, check out our reviews and streaming guides for True to the Game 3 and The Woman King.
Round out your library with our complete reviews and official viewing or download options for Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007 film), The Mummy Returns, and OBD Auto Doctor 5.4.
Looking for another great film to watch next? Try our interactive 2-Tap Movie Picker: What Movie Should You Watch Tonight? to match your mood and subgenre or spin a top-rated Surprise Me recommendation.
For your next weekend watch, check out our complete review and viewing options for 2012.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I stream The Smurfs (2011) online?
You can rent or buy The Smurfs (2011) on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play, or stream it on family streaming platforms depending on your region.
What happens in the 2011 live-action and CGI film The Smurfs?
Chased out of their magical village by the evil wizard Gargamel, six Smurfs tumble through a blue moon portal into Central Park and befriend a New York couple played by Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays.
Who plays Gargamel and who voices the Smurfs in the 2011 movie?
Hank Azaria plays Gargamel in live action, while Jonathan Winters voices Papa Smurf, Katy Perry voices Smurfette, Anton Yelchin voices Clumsy, and Alan Cumming voices Gutsy.
Is The Smurfs (2011) rated PG?
Yes, the 103-minute family comedy is rated PG for mild rude humor and some action.
