Wednesday 17 April 2013

The Croods (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – Clichéd, But Entertaining!

3/5 Stars

The Croods are a good mix of ‘The Flintstones’ and the recently-released film, ‘Hotel Transylvania’. The film is about how the ‘world’s first family’ had to give up on their trusted shelter (the caves) to look for a new roof on their heads. In the process, they end up discovering the ‘new world’, which they had been hiding away from since time immemorial.

The film has a clichéd storyline. The plot has oft been used for several animated movies in the past. Although the concept works yet again, it makes the story a bit predictable. Also, the 3D was a big let-down. However, despite these two ‘big’ drawbacks, the film emerges as a thoroughly entertaining watch!

Armed with old-world sensibilities, the father Grug (Nicolas Cage) does not allow his daughter Eep (Emma Stone), to venture out into the open, fearing that she could be harmed. The daughter, whose rebelliousness increases with the number of restrictions imposed on her, ends up going out anyway. She discovers a new world, much different from what her ‘orthodox’ father had imagined. She meets and falls for the mysterious young boy, called Guy (Ryan Reynolds), from the new world. Trouble ensues when the caves are on the verge of destruction and the family has to look for a new home!

The animation is terrific, but the 3D is disappointing. The characters and their dialogues are well-written. Watch out for the banter between Grug and Guy, Grug and his mother-in-law and the camaraderie amongst ‘The Croods’! Although the first half moves along at a sluggish pace, the second half picks up pace and manages to keep you engaged. The kids will love these terrific characters and the over-simplified story.

It’s a clichéd story, but it entertains!

Shivom Oza

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