Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The Croods is one of those rare family movies that will entertain you whether you are six-years-old or 60.
This animated feature has it all – fantastic imagery, special effects, humour, endearing characters and a whole lot of heart.
The film takes the audience on a journey through an imagined world that will not only help them experience what it was like to be a ‘cavie’, but also have them wishing they were living as one.
Yes, the plot is predictable and the audience will probably be able to predict the ending, but it’s an enjoyable ride nonetheless.
The film tells the tale of harsh prehistoric times by sticking to the strict direction of family man Grug (Cage) who is more comfortable throwing his children off of cliffs than with the thought of having a ‘brain’ filled with ideas.
He lives by the rule that one should ‘never not be afraid’ (sic) and makes sure his family is safe from the dangers of the demolishing world – mum Ugga (Catherine Keener), his young son Thunk (Clark Duke), his mother-in-law who is well past her expiry date, Gran (Cloris Leachman) and a wild baby who’s name is never revealed.
However, his protective and demanding ways are not enough to restrain Eep (Emma Stone), Grug’s rebellious daughter.
Although Grug forces the family to live life in a cave, hunting their prey by day and hiding from their predators by night (as they’re the last of many cavies in the area) the young cave girl has ideas of her own.
Being her curious self, Eep follows a bright light on a forbidden stroll out of the cave while her family is asleep. She bumps into Guy (Reynolds), a more evolved and intelligent boy who introduces her and her cave kin to the concepts of fire, shoes, pets and extinction … yes, the imminent end of the world is coming.
Obviously at first, the Croods disregard his insane whisperings … but all that changes when a series of earthquakes and volcanoes occur, taking the Croods and Guy on an incredible journey through the evolution of the world.
Like Ice Age: Continental Drift, the audience follows the family as they migrate though prehistoric wilderness with stunning creatures that are reminiscent to the visuals in Oz the Great and Powerful.
The smartest thing directors Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders did is make the humour universal. It’s mainly slap stick humour because, well, who doesn’t like to see someone get chased by a vicious animal only to run straight into a massive rock?
Scene stealing moments from a sloth named Belt (who wraps around Guy’s trousers) also added to the film … Sanders and Micco take stabs at faux explanations for certain inventions including footwear, sunglasses, aviation and, in the sloth’s case, belts!
Moreover, the focus on family allows both parents and children to relate to the subject matter. Whether you’re dealing with a controversial teen or a child trying to rebel, The Croods will offer relatable scenes as well as some heart-warming theories on why they do it to begin with.
The voice actors were pretty much spot on. With Cage having more emotion in his face as a cartoon than in real life, he pays homage to his earlier crazy days and has that annoying tone viewers love to hate.
Stone pretty much played herself with a geeky and sassy personality and her cartoon self bared the same lisp and red hair she does, which made it more enjoyable to watch.
Reynolds offers that ‘too cool for school’ character that all his fans love … but then again, it took me about 40 minutes to figure out it was him, so I guess it wouldn’t have mattered if he was in it or not. Regardless, I love him!
Although the film is telling an ‘old’ story, it is still enjoyable and gives audiences a modernised and hallucinogenic version of The Flintstones – what’s not to love?
Showing in Cineco, Seef II, Saar Cineplex, Al Jazeera Cineplex, Dana Cinema
