Dreamworks Animation, much like
many studios, suffers their ups and downs. Whether that’s with incredible heights
like How to Train Your Dragon, or tired rehashes like Madagascar 3, they
fluctuate quite often. Personally, I tend to prefer the side of themselves that
take the material seriously, like with How to Train Your Dragon and Rise of the
Guardians. Their latest effort, The Croods, had me incredibly hopeful that it
would be another really good film from them, being directed by Chris Sanders of
Dragon and Lilo & Stitch fame. What I got, instead, is the side of
Dreamworks that I usually have a tough time sitting through. Does that make it
a bad movie, though? Well, no, but it still isn’t as good as it should be.
The story, originally started as
an idea by comedy legend John Cleese, is simple. The Croods, led by family
patriarch Grug, have survived for ages by sticking to fearful traditions of
their ancestors. The daughter, Eep, eventually gets tired of living this same
daily routine, preferring to seek out the new. The family eventually has no
choice but to move, as the continental drift has caused the land to shatter and
crumble. Along the way, they’re led by Guy, a traveler who not only embraces
new customs, he’s fashioned nifty new tools from them. This goes against Grug’s
upbringing, making the two polar opposites, especially because of Guy and Eep’s
budding romance. The numerous family members must try to get along, use the new
tools to survive, and make their way to a paradise beyond the mountains.
It’s a very cute concept, with an
A-game voice cast, but the execution feels off. I’ve already established that I
like it when Dreamworks take themselves seriously, but if they’re going to do a
comedy, they ought to make sure they pace out the humor, keep it flowing, and
let it come naturally. A lot of the stabs at humor tend to feel forced,
sometimes becoming overly obnoxious. The energy is admirable, but I really wish
they’d have taken the time to calm down. The best moments in this film are when
the filmmakers actually give us time to let things sink in, but those moments
aren’t nearly as present throughout as they should be, mostly reserved for the
film’s wonderful third act, and having to fight with the comedy everywhere else.
There are some good laughs, including some clever bits with Belt the Sloth, but
I wish most of these jokes were thought through and took their time.
However, if you’re simply here to
admire the technical aspects of this movie, that alone will be worth the price
of admission. Dreamworks always delivers with great animation, and this is no
exception. It’s BEAUTIFUL! Just looking at all the vivid landscapes, the
diverse range of colors, the imaginative creature designs (Almost like
something out of one of William Joyce’s stories), it really pops, even without
3D. The sound is no less detailed, it’s creative, and it boasts a fantastic
score by Alan Silvestri. I don’t know what’s been going on with Dreamworks’
music department, who’ve recently been churning out equally fantastic hits by
John Powell (Dragons) and Alexandre Desplat (Guardians), but whatever they’re
doing, keep doing it!
All in all, The Croods is... fun.
It’s not the follow up to Rise of the Guardians that I was hoping for, but on
its own, it’s still not bad. I just wish they’d have calmed themselves down,
and let things actually sink in for the audience to appreciate, and I think
that it would have made for a great, even outstanding, movie. But for what it
is, it’s an entertainer.
*** / *****
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