The Croods

Voices of: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke, Chris Sanders, Randy Thom
Directed by: Kirk De Micco, Chris Sanders
Rating: PG
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A cavemen family must venture away from their cave and into the great unknown if they hope to survive the coming changes to their world.

Review:

Tim: I didn't expect it, but I really did enjoy The Croods. The idea of an animated film about cavemen just makes me think of Fred and Barney, but this film proves that there can be good cavemen cartoons outside of "The Flintstones." This is a beautiful-looking, funny, entertaining animated film. While it still can't reach the heights of many Pixar films or a Shrek or How to Train Your Dragon, this is still an enjoyable film.

I have to comment on the stunningly beautiful computer generated world our characters inhabit. The colors are so vivid and clear, the world comes alive on screen. This film is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and the colors and strangeness of this prehistoric world drew me in. From the interesting twists on animals and plants, to the vividness of the world, to the incredible rendering of these characters, this movie just looks incredible. That goes a long way to pulling you into the story and should be applauded.

The characters themselves aren't the most memorable. There's no Woody or Buzz or Wall-E here. However, the characters undergo some interesting development as the film went on. At first, I was unimpressed- you have the overbearing father, the quiet but kind mother, the rebellious daughter, the dimwitted son, the cranky old grandmother (and I suppose the animal-like baby doesn't fit). We've seen these roles time and again. And yet, as the film goes on, you get to know these characters more. The development is quite strong, especially when the film sets the stage for the most heartwarming aspects.

While this is a story about cavemen, it's really a film about an overprotective father struggling with letting his daughter go. It's a story of the past verses the future, about whether to hide from things that frighten you, or embrace them. It's about the fact that life is filled with constant change, and we've got to learn to adapt or we'll be left behind. It's a story about family and coming to grips that although your family is annoying, they're still the only family you will ever have. I loved that this film reached deeper than the average animated film and touched on some powerful themes.

The voice cast is good. I thought Nicolas Cage was pretty incredible- his voice is so distinct, yet it never overpowered the character. He did a tremendous job. Emma Stone was really good as well. Again, her voice is distinct, but she used it to bring her character to life. I didn't even recognize Ryan Reynolds, so closely did I associate his voice with his character's. Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, and Clark Duke all worked well also. The cast was very impressive.

Now, I said there was a lot I liked about this film, but it's not perfect. Like I said, the characters are simply too forgettable. Also, the movie was a bit light on the comedic elements. There were a few hilarious moments, but far too many jokes fell flat. The film was good, but I wasn't wildly engaged. My heartstrings were never touched. I didn't laugh as much as I should have. These are all things that describe a good animated film, but not a great one.

I have to say that this movie only looked mildly appealing to me. I expected a somewhat lackluster film. I was impressed with the end product. While it didn't set the world on fire, this is a solid, entertaining animated film. It's certainly better than some of the other films produced in the last few years. I enjoyed The Croods, and I'd watch it again.

*Update- Almost 10 years after first watching The Croods, I revisited the film with my kids. I have to say, I was happily surprised how well my original review held up. Everything I said above, I still believe to be true. I'd still only consider this a good movie, but the film has increased a bit in terms of quality, in my eyes. The film is really well made and there's multiple layers to the story. I touched on this a bit in my original review. It was an interesting experience watching with my kids. They tended to stay more surface level (as you'd expect), and it was fun seeing it through their eyes, while also digging deeper into the story. They both really liked the film. There were a few scenes that were too intense for my four year-old daughter (sorry, it's the challenge of being a second child), but my eight year-old son really enjoyed the film. They laughed throughout the movie and were entertained. As for me, I felt the same way- I didn't mind revisiting the film and I had a lot of fun watching it.

In the decade since I first watched this movie, we've obviously gotten many other animated movies. A few great ones, some good ones, and a number of disappointing ones. With even greater context, I've realized how good The Croods is. It still has its flaws, but this is an entertaining, effective movie. I had a lot of fun watching it with my whole family.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Ice Age, How to Train Your Dragon, The Incredibles, Toy Story