By Brenda Waldrop, Media Editor

If you think the new movie The Smurfs is just for kids, you might want to think again.  I admit, at times it’s annoyingly cheerful, but it acknowledges and even makes fun of its own cuteness at times.   There’s also the gratuitous substitution of the word “Smurf” for any other word, and let’s not forget the annoying, sticks in your head, Smurf song.  However, there are a few good reasons to look beyond all that, which I can sum up in three points.

Point one: Neil Patrick Harris!  Honestly, have you ever felt time watching Neil Patrick Harris in anything was time wasted?  You know you haven’t.  As the confident and successful NY executive and somewhat less confident father-to-be, Harris manages to help turn what could have been an uncomfortably corny movie into an entertaining experience.  The scene where he’s playing Guitar Hero with the Smurfs was particularly fun to watch, with clever camera angles adding to the hilarity of the scene. 

Point two: Basset Hound!   Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother) and Grace (Jayma Mays – Glee), his pregnant wife, have the most adorable basset hound named Elway, played by a basset named Hank.   Now I’ll admit I’m somewhat prejudiced, being owned by several basset hounds myself, and being an avid supporter of basset hound rescues around the US.  Still, this was one adorable hound!   When I saw the commercial with the basset chasing Smurfs down a hallway, I thought it was a cameo appearance, but Elway is in at least a third of the film and really does steal every scene he’s in.

Point three: Hank Azaria as Gargamel!  Really, need I say more here?   All of us who grew up watching The Smurfs on TV as kids remember Gargamel the evil, bumbling wizard and his cat Azrael.   Hank Azaria absolutely nailed the part with just enough evil to appeal to older audiences and enough comedy to keep from frightening the youngsters that this film will attract in droves.

All of this, plus an all-star cast of little, blue, animated Smurfs, running around NYC!  So grab the kids if you have them (I took my daughter who’s 16 and she laughed through the entire film), or borrow someone’s kid if you’re embarrassed to admit you want to see it yourself, and go see The Smurfs in amazing 3D!

ComicsOnline gives The Smurfs 3.5 out of 5 Schtroumpfs