The Croods

Tonight I got to see the new “The Croods” movie, which was released on Premium Video On Demand today. But first, I think I should let everyone know what I thought of the first “The Croods” movie released in 2013.

Nell Minow started her review by saying, “At least in some respects all children are Neanderthals.” It is a real challenge in parenthood to discipline the sometimes difficult children by teaching them language, manners and safety. Some of the most difficult decisions parents must make come when they try to encourage children to be strong, courageous, independent and carefree when it comes to realizing goals in school, sports and chores while protecting them from mistakes that can hurt or even destroy them.

That’s the concept with “The Croods,” the nice, animated film about a primitive cave family. Minow said, “Familiar family dynamics are amusingly exaggerated in the Paleolithic setting, where the most basic necessities require everyone's full-time attention. The heavy-boned characters designed by the brilliantly witty Carter Goodrich ("Despicable Me," "Hotel Transylvania") may argue, but they demonstrate the strength of their bond on their hunting/gathering expeditions.”

When this family leaves and gets breakfast, they really leave to get breakfast. Minow noted, “In a joyously choreographed race to get food, parents Grug (Nicolas Cage) and Ugga (Catherine Keener), Ugga's mother, Gran (Cloris Leachman), and their three children work seamlessly together somewhere between extreme dodgeball, an obstacle course and a rugby game. Even the happily feral baby joins in for a crucial maneuver.”

Other than that, they stay inside a cold, dark cave. None of the other families of their tribe have survived, and Grug is scared of anything that he cannot control. He mentions to his family that “curiosity is bad and anything that is new is bad.” Keeping everyone alive is his duty. “Never not be afraid,” he warns them. “Fear keeps us alive.”

“I will never do anything new or different,” promises son Thunk, voiced by Clark Duke. However, rebellious teenagers go back as far as protective fathers, and Eep, voiced by Emma Stone, wants to see the world outside the cave. Minow noted, “What Grug sees as safe and under control, Eep sees as boring and old-fashioned.”

That bigger world includes a stranger, a man named Guy, voiced by Ryan Reynolds. He has a lot of new ideas like tools, shoes, a “belt” (Minnow mentioned, “a monkey with a theatrical flair for flourish”) and “baby suns” – fire. Eep wants to learn more. Minow said, “And soon Grug has to make changes because the tectonic plates start to shift beneath him.” Staying the same is no longer safe. The family must leave to find a new place to live. Grug has to learn that sometimes new is not bad and Eep has to learn to appreciate what she already has.

Minow said, “Kids will enjoy outsmarting the Neanderthals, whose experience of the world is so limited that they think fire can be extinguished by dry grass. They will get a kick out of Guy as a proto-MacGyver who shows his traveling companions how to use rocks, vines, leaves — and strategy — to trap food and protect themselves from predators. As Grug and his family leave their rocky home, they find new environments that are increasingly dazzling, with spectacularly imagined vistas and gorgeous vegetation. Those images nicely parallel the opening minds and spirits of Grug and his family.”

Even though there are a little too many mother-in-law jokes, “The Croods” perfectly makes it evident that even before they had fire, families understood how important it was to appreciate and protect each other. Minow ended her review by saying, “Eep reminds us that what may feel like teenage obstinacy and foolhardiness may just be the next step in our evolution.”

Now what can be said about the sequel, “The Croods: A New Age,” released in theaters last month and on Premium Video on Demand today? How do you make an animated sequel to a film that’s been mostly forgotten in the seven years since it was released? The sequel, directed by Joel Crawford, and filled with celebrity voices, may not feel really needed or expected, but is sure enough fun to look at and smart enough in the runtime. Dan Mecca said in his review, “It’s a slightly back-handed compliment to be sure, but maybe that’s okay. Where the perfectly-cute original film worked in a lot of muted tones to match the Stone Age aesthetic, Crawford’s follow-up introduces a new world of colors that pop.” This film is worth watching, mainly for families looking for some entertainment this holiday season.

Like the first one, Cage is doing very funny voice work as Grug, the father of the Crood family. Eep, his daughter, fell in love with Guy in the first film and now he’s a part of the tribe, something that Grug still struggles with. Trying to keep everyone happy, Grug finds an exciting new place with food and shelter. The Croods soon see that this place is ran by the Bettermans, voiced by Peter Dinklage and Leslie Mann, a modern-thinking family who were once best friends with Guy’s long-deceased parents. Mecca noted, “The conceptualization and presentation of all of the forward-thinking gadgets available in the Betterman fort is one of the highlights of the picture, specifically a sequence with a toilet that earns a hearty chuckle.”

As Eep makes the youngest Betterman, named Dawn, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, rebel her parents, Guy differs his past with his present, complicating his feelings for Eep. There’s a funny sequence with Thunk love the “window” and what lives inside the square it was shaped by. Mecca said, “Bits like this are quick-witted and not overused, considering the format.” Audiences will love how Eep and Dawn are not put against each other in a love triangle of two female characters fighting for the love of the same man.

Mecca said, “Without question, the animation and the kinetic sequences it allows are the highlight above all else. This picture feels designed for quarantined parents who need a 90-minute respite from their children. Along with a wider diversity of its color scheme, the plot moves much faster than it did in the first film, speaking to the increasing pace of everything we’ve all come to expect from our entertainment.”

Along with the over-acting Cage performance, Tran really stands out as a newcomer to the franchise. Her great voice work really gives some positive prediction for next year’s “Raya and the Last Dragon,” where she will voice the protagonist. Mecca ended his review by saying, “This is a light, engaging adventure that never reaches the lowest common denominator bar that so much of mass-audience Hollywood animation falls preys to. Call the bar low if you like, but The Croods: A New Age delivers where it counts.”

For those who are not going to the theaters to see the sequel should see it on Premium Video on Demand. However, you should first see the first one if you haven’t seen the first movie, which is available for free streaming on Netflix. Then you can watch the sequel. I believe they are both really good movies and both are just as good. Check them out and have some good laughs, even though they are not the best movies about cavemen.

Thank you for joining in on tonight’s review, stay tuned tomorrow for the continuation of “Disney Month 2020.”