Film Review: The Croods

The Croods. Rated PG (mild themes). 98 minutes. Written and directed by Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders.

Verdict: A visually dazzling adventure about the importance of learning from one another.

While live action filmmakers are often preoccupied with futuristic worlds riddled with explosive conflict and war-mongering, animators have been equally preoccupied with the distant past. From The Flinstones (1960–1966) to the Ice Age films (2002–2012), there is something liberating about imagining pre-historic possibilities – perhaps that the imperative for the results to be as ‘life-like’ as possible is eliminated. What we get instead, are pure flights of fantasy and imagination – hallmarks of the great, animated adventures of recent times.

Continuing this delightful trend is first-time production designer Christophe Lautrette, who has created stunning pre-historic environments and creatures that will more often than not have you gasping with delight. With a seemingly limitless colour palette and an invigorating sense of the absurd, Lautrette’s world for The Croods is utterly captivating.

Beautifully supporting all the spectacular visual creativity on display is Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon) and De Micco’s multi-faceted, intelligent story about fear, trust and generational change. The result is a smart and entertaining film that refuses to patronise its younger audience members, while also managing not to rely on smut or innuendo for the adults that will go along to accompany them.

Nicholas Cage is perfect as the voice of caveman Grug, whose sole responsibility is to keep his family safe from harm – life-threatening danger that, as we witness in the spectacular hunting sequence that opens the film, is ever-present. Grug’s only choice is keep his family safely locked up in a cave, but when his rebellious daughter Eep (voiced by Emma Stone) escapes from the cave and meets the fire-wielding caveboy Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a chain of cataclysmic events is triggered that will bring the Croods face-to-face with the possibility of extinction.

With their physical world constantly collapsing around them, the invention and resourcefulness required to ensure they find a safe new home creates some wonderful opportunities for grand adventures. In the hands of these superb filmmakers, every one of those opportunities is brilliantly realised, resulting in a marvellously told story about risk-taking and just how important it can be that we listen to, learn from, and respect each other.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.