Simply repeating Smurfies' law

MOVIE REVIEW: Here comes another one just like the other one. Only not as good. And the other one? Well, it wasn’t much good to begin with.

smurfs 2

MOVIE REVIEW: Here comes another one just like the other one. Only not as good. And the other one? Well, it wasnÂ’t much good to begin with.

To no one’s great surprise, the makers of The Smurfs 2 have not brought anything new to the table here aside from a fresh digit at the end of the title. If you were feeling particularly generous, you could also factor in a change of general locale to Paris as a change for the better.

But really, when it’s all about the squeaky blue freaks eeking away in the foreground, the background just doesn’t matter.

Nor does the B-list talent lining up for an easy pay cheque here.

Katy Perry provides the unoiled-door voice of Smurfette, who has been abducted by Gargamel (Hank Azaria) to bring on what he calls “Smurf-A-Geddon.” Papa Smurf (the late Jonathan Winters) spearheads a mission from Smurf Village to Paris to save the day.

As tension levels go upwards, there are jokes about movies like Scarface and Star Wars, the wacky ways of Europeans, and Smurfs passing wind in the bath to keep entertainment values trending downwards.

> The Smurfs 2 [G]
Director: Raja Gosnell (Beverly Hills Chihuahua)
Starring: Hank Azaria and the voices of Katy Perry, Jonathan Winters.
Rating: 1.5/5
"Falls far short of Smurfection "