THE CROODS (Kirk De Micco, Chris Sanders). 92 minutes. Opens Friday (March 22). For venues and times, see listings. Rating: NNNN
The Croods proves that even the familiar and clichéd can be reformulated into something remarkably smart, fun and endearing.
The animated romp about a cave-dwelling family trying to stick together while Pangaea begins to break apart follows the same template that inspired the last derivative Ice Age movie. Filmmakers Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders crib from other animated movies, right down to designing the main protagonist, Grug (Nicolas Cage), to look like a recoloured, humanoid Shrek.
However, while aping its animated ancestry, The Croods also develops its characters beyond stereotypes and builds a dynamic family story that will connect with Neanderthals and Homo sapiens alike. It helps to have a talented voice cast that includes Cage, Emma Stone and Catherine Keener. They make the most of a screenplay fertile with fresh gags, the best involving the prehistoric introduction of fire, shoes and even popcorn.
The Croods is also the best-looking animated film since Rango, which makes perfect sense since acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins served as a visual consultant on both. The colours are textured and the application of light and shadows downright masterful. Cinema students could hold seminars to analyze how Plato’s Allegory Of The Cave works its way into the visual design.
This is an animated film that has something for everybody. It actually made me want to tell the loud but entertained kids in the theatre to shut up so I could enjoy the movie, too.
