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| Courtesy of DreamWorks |
I was apathetic while walking into a screening of The Croods, DreamWorks Animation’s latest family flick – this one focusing on a family of cavemen. However, by the halfway mark, I was surprised to find myself fully invested in the experience. Granted, it doesn’t do anything to redefine the genre, but it’s a sweet story told creatively.
Of
course, I would’ve been much more excited had I done my homework beforehand. The
film was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk De Micco. Considering
that Sanders is the guy behind Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your
Dragon – two of my favorite animated films – it’s no wonder I enjoyed The
Croods so much. The guy has a knack for taking seemingly simple stories and
telling them from a unique perspective that reveals new depth.
On
the surface, The Croods uses a plot you’ve seen a million times: rebellious teenage
daughter drives her overprotective father crazy. However, when those characters
live in prehistoric times, the situation takes on added significant since the
daughter’s stubbornness could get her entire family killed by a hungry predator.
Of course, the daughter’s attitude is easy to understand too. She doesn’t want
to spend 23 hours a day stuck in a tiny cave with five other family members.
The
daughter is Eep (Emma Stone), a young girl with an innate sense of curiosity. For
her father, Grug (Nicolas Cage), this is a maddening trait since he keeps the family
safe by teaching them that anything new is bad and curiosity equals death. The
rest of his family – wife Ugga (Catherine Keener), son Thunk (Clark Duke) and
mother-in-law Gran (Cloris Leachman) – have taken this lesson to heart.
Eep,
on the other hand, doesn’t see what the big deal is. When she sneaks away one
night, her inquisitiveness forces the family to embark on an adventure none of
them are prepared for. While the family is out searching for her, an earthquake
destroys their cave and leaves them exposed to the giant creatures that live
all around them. They have no other choice but to keep moving in search of a safer
environment.
Fortunately,
the family runs into Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a human who’s one step above them on
the evolutionary ladder. He doesn’t live his life guided by fear and brute
strength like Grug. Instead, he relies on his intelligence to devise clever
plans for any situation. This opens a new, happier world for most of the
Croods, but you can imagine how much stock Grug places in Guy’s philosophy. Nevertheless,
if this band of nomads is going to make it to their new home, the two alpha
males will have to learn how to work together.
Sanders
and De Micco have created a funny, sweet and visually dazzling movie that takes
advantage of everything great about animation (though I still don’t think
seeing it in 3D is required). The various landscapes, along with the large assortment
of strange and beautiful creatures, are a joy to look at.
Plus,
the filmmakers continue DreamWorks’ promising trend of avoiding irritating Shrek-style
pop culture references. Sure, there are plenty of anachronisms, but nobody’s
dancing to “All Star” or singing “I’m a Believer.”
The
screenplay also takes some surprising risks and doesn’t shy away from putting
the characters in serious, life-threatening danger. Parents with small children
should take the PG rating seriously. For the last 20 minutes or so, I was
genuinely unsure whether one particular family member would survive. That used
to happen all the time in animated films (Bambi, The Land Before Time,
etc.), but you don’t see it much anymore.
The
voice cast is also quite good, particularly Cage. (I know! It caught me off
guard too.) Sanders and De Micco have discovered how Cage can actually deliver
a solid performance these days – voice work. All of the hammy, over-the-top tics
that I find annoying in his live-action roles work perfectly here. Stone is the
other standout, though it’s pretty obvious the movie basically makes Eep a
cavegirl version of the actress’ public persona.
There
haven’t been a lot of family-friendly choices at the multiplex lately, so The
Croods is the best bet if that’s what you’re looking for this weekend. Again,
there are several scenes that might scare children if they’re too small (in
fact, a girl sitting behind me asked her mom to leave several times). But older
children and adults alike will find plenty to enjoy.
The
Croods is rated PG for some scary action.
Grade:
B+
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