So, we’ve got a new Smurfs movie in 2025 — simply titled Smurfs — which acts as a reboot of the franchise for a new generation. Directed by Chris Miller and co-directed by Matt Landon, this one features an absolutely stacked voice cast, including Rihanna, James Corden, John Goodman, Kurt Russell, Xolo Maridueña, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer, and more.
I’ve always had a nostalgic connection to the Smurfs. I grew up watching the reruns of the original cartoon with my mom, who loved it growing up herself. We even had Smurf plushies around the house. So, while I didn’t feel like a new Smurfs movie was necessary, I was definitely curious to check it out.
The story follows Smurfette and a group of other Smurfs — most notably one named No Name — as they set out to rescue Papa Smurf, who’s been kidnapped by the evil wizard Razamel, the brother of classic villain Gargamel. Along the way, they search for Ken, Papa Smurf’s brother, and try to save the day.
Let’s talk cast. It’s loaded. Rihanna gets top billing and sings in the movie — that’s where she really shines. As a voice actress, she’s fine, but it’s clear they brought her in for the musical moments, and they work well enough. James Corden voices No Name, the Smurf without a defining trait — basically the audience surrogate, and honestly, probably the actual main character, even though the marketing really leans into Rihanna’s Smurfette.
Beyond those two, you’ve got some serious names: Kurt Russell, John Goodman, Marshmello, Hannah Waddingham, Nick Kroll, Jimmy Kimmel, Sandra Oh — the list goes on. Most of the performances are solid, and the voices are super recognizable. You’ll probably find yourself saying, “Wait, I know that voice,” throughout the movie. So yeah, the cast definitely brings it.
The animation is decent — not quite on the level of Pixar, DreamWorks, or even some of what Nickelodeon’s done in the past — but for what it is, it’s colorful, stylized, and visually competent. It kind of reminded me of early 2000s CG animation, which works for the vibe they were going for, even if it doesn’t blow you away.
One element that didn’t quite land for me was the live-action hybrid stuff. It felt a bit tacked on, like they shot random footage and then just inserted the Smurfs into it without really thinking through how the world should interact with them. It doesn’t ruin the movie, but it’s noticeable, especially compared to how the older live-action Smurf movies handled things.
Story-wise, it reminded me a lot of the Trolls movies — not just visually, but tonally. There’s a similar plot structure about a character trying to figure out who they are, with plenty of silly humor and musical numbers sprinkled throughout. That said, Trolls still does it better in my opinion — more fun, more cohesive, and better looking.
I did appreciate that this movie tried to expand the Smurfs lore a bit. You get some new characters, and Razamel takes over as the big bad while Gargamel mostly plays a comic relief role. Funny enough, both characters are voiced by the same actor, and they’re honestly pretty interchangeable, but it’s still cool to see some new additions to the Smurf universe.
Here’s the thing: Smurfs (2025) is fine. It’s okay. It’s not a bad movie. It’s got solid animation, a great cast, and a few decent musical moments. Rihanna’s song is easily the highlight. The humor is hit-or-miss — some jokes land, some completely fall flat. I watched it with a family-heavy audience, and while there were a few laughs here and there, the theater wasn’t exactly roaring.
For me, the biggest issue is that the film doesn’t really know who it wants to focus on. Smurfette is the face of the marketing, but No Name feels like the real main character. That back-and-forth between characters makes it feel like the movie is pulling itself in different directions.
At the end of the day, I think this is a movie for the little ones. It’s bright, fast-paced, and silly — the kind of thing you can throw on for the kids and not have to worry about too much. But if you’re looking for a next-level Smurfs reboot that competes with the top-tier animated films of today, this probably isn’t it. It’s a perfectly okay movie that younger audiences will probably enjoy — but for the rest of us, it’s one of those “watch it once and move on” kind of films.
Rating: 6/10