The Smurfs 2

Decent watch, probably won't watch again, but can recommend. Again, Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays are the best thing about this movie titled "The Smurfs", and this time they have more humans taking the focus away from the Smurfs. Additionally they have the Naughties that also distract from the Smurfs, but they at least make the movie interesting and accent the Smurf story line instead of stealing the spotlight for their own story. This time around they did something very interesting and focused the story line to Smurfette, not well, but they did it. This allows Gargamel, the Naughties, the Smurfs and the humans (part time) to focus on her so the movie is chiefly Smurf focused, even though (as specifically discussed in the movie) Smurfette and the Naughties aren't technically the same as the others. (This is arguable, as it is possible all Smurfs are magically created.) The messages of inclusion and togetherness and family are actually a lot stronger in this movie than the first, as well as the level of goofiness from Gargamel, to include his celebrity status. I think I'm just not a fan of this movie series, but clearly the movies did good enough to warrant their production value.

The movie starts off very similar to the first one, and like the first one it is kinda split between the Smurfs' adventures and the story of the Winslow's, the human family from New York. This time the main story is about Smurfette, though, and how her origin story of being Gargamel's creation influences her life. The story plays similar to the first movie: The Smurfs have to find and fight Gargamel to rescue Smurfett while the Patrick Winslow has to learn about what "family" means or can mean. But does Smurfette even WANT to come back? And does Patrick even want a bigger part in his extended family? Some part of this one were actually quite positively surprising. Smurfette is a very nice character in this one, and so are the new, additional "Smurfs" Vexy and Hackus. The adventures of the Smurf-side are actually quite funny and emotional, while, to me, the human half was...understandable and fitting, but quickly a bit exhausting due to people, especially, Patrick, just wanting to be a kind of jerk. Fitting to the movies theme both sides, though, need to learn the main lesson: That family is not who you are born with, but the people that love and care for you. And this certainly is a nice message that's handled well at least on the Smurf side. The development of Smurfette's relationship to the others is nice and at several points really emotional, happy and sad once after another and the movie does a much better job at invoking caring and empathy than the first one and I really enjoyed that. And once again, Gargamel's performance was totally over-the-top and really fun and funny. But, also like in the first movie: While the Winslow's part is more emotional and important than in the first movie...once again the overall movie could've easily been done completely without them. But still: A cute family movie about how the people who actually love and care about you are your true family! <3 Smurfette, Vexy and Gargamel are the best here!