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Once again, Hollywood puts a modern spin on a familiar title and, with every ironic joke, destroys the charm of the original. In this computer/live-action hybrid, the "three apples high" Smurfs (voiced by the likes of Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf and singer Katy Perry as Smurfette) are chased out of their mushroom village by the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) into the strange world of New York City. There, they meet an overworked cosmetics-company marketing exec (Neil Patrick Harris), and his pregnant wife ("Glee's" Jayma Mays), and hijinks allegedly ensue. The usually engaging Harris is stuck reciting the script's faux-hipster mockery of Smurf lore (like the overuse of the word "smurf" as verb and adjective) before the story switches to smarmy life lessons. Director Raja Gosnell ("Beverly Hills Chihuahua") plays every lame joke as broadly as possible, allowing his cast — notably Azaria and Sofia Vergara (as Patrick's overbearing boss) — to overplay at every turn. Hhj
The Smurfs
Opens today at theaters everywhere; rated PG for some mild rude humor and action; 102 minutes.