The Croods

In my life as a parent of a 10 and 12 year old, I have been to see a lot of animated kids movies, some of them quite painful to sit through. This one ranks at the top. The action, the humor, the characters, the plot, all rolled up in to a big ball of fun. I was belly laughing with my kids the whole way through it. And the message is lovely to boot. Excellent casting...the chemistry between the characters stood out in a way I never thought a cartoon could, no doubt due to the talent of the actors and standout animation (not something that I'm usually all that dazzled by.) It was the interaction, along with thoughtful humor of what is important in life, that really put this over the top for me. The complete implausibility of the plot didn't even mildly annoy me, the way stories of this genre sometimes do.

I could actually stand to watch this a second time. Well done Hollywood, please put this level of thought in to more children's movies.

Dreamworks have been hit and miss for me(mostly hits), while I love The Prince of Egypt and How to Train Your Dragon, Shark Tale and Bee Movie left me underwhelmed. Watching the trailer for The Croods, admittedly I wasn't entirely impressed. But as I love animation so much and because I believe in giving any film a chance, I went ahead and watched The Croods anyway. And it was much better than anticipated and what the trailer made it out to be, in fact I found myself liking The Croods very much. I did think that the ending was a cop-out, it seemed to me that the film didn't know how or when it was going to end and it seemed too convenient also. And I also thought that the film was a little too long, some of the story structure towards the end seemed on the verge of petering out. The animation however is really wonderful, it is detailed and very colourful with the character designs well modelled and convincing in movement. If you see The Croods, try and see it in 3D if you can, I am usually not a fan of the 3D gimmick but this is one of those instances where the action is enhanced instead of the 3D detracting from it. At the top of my head, only the Vincent Price film House of Wax(also given the 3D treatment) has had that effect on me. The soundtrack is rousing and lively, though appropriately subdued in the more touching moments. The dialogue is very funny and extremely smart, with much to entertain children and adults. It is quite sophisticated in tone, although it thankfully doesn't feel too much. Amongst the humour, there's also room for some morals and family issues, and they are nicely done without being too heavy-handed. The story doesn't exactly break new ground and will seem formulaic to some. On the other hand, it is briskly paced, consistently engaging and is heart-warming in more ways than one. The prehystorical slapstick is frantic, but hilarious and never too childish. The characters are also a large part of the fun, they are very likable and amusing characters and you can relate to them. Grug and Guy's relationship was especially convincing. The voice work is great. A more restrained than usual Nicholas Cage is a big surprise and he is an ideal fit for his character. Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds are equally appealing, and Cloris Leachman relishes some of The Croods' most amusing moments. In conclusion, great colourful fun without being among the very finest from Dreamworks. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This movie is very entertaining for viewers of all age groups. 3D effects are awesome. Kids will love it and so will parents.

Some scenes may remind of the beauty of Pandora in Avatar. Overall a great movie that will make you laugh and make you fall in love with characters.

The animals are out of the world and scenes are very colorful. Its a story of survival in midst of danger. It shows the emotions and challenges that families face today in cave man's life.

The movie shows the life of prehistoric humans. The movie also sheds light on relationships and bonds in family ties.

The Croods, a name most bizarre to be given as a title of a movie, but the content, just fantastic! I may even add to say that Dreamworks has lived up to its expectations in delivering exceptionally amazing animated movies and their latest release, The Croods is no exception. The story begins by introducing us to a rather diverse family of a couple, their three children and an old grandmother(who just wouldn't die) and setting is a prehistoric age where they are supposedly the only living humans. The movie then goes on to bring an extra character just named "Guy" and his sidekick Belt(an animal) who goes on to proclaim that the end of the world is near and their only hope for survival was to aim for the mountains far ahead. A simple plot it seems no doubt, but the way the movie was crafted was just fantastic and if that wasn't enough, you might actually find yourself laughing a couple of times no matter what age you might be of. There might be many movies out there to be watched but "The Croods" is a film which is guaranteed to be enjoyed. It might not be the best film out there, but it certainly is a great one which has its own comedic and adventurous moments, a movie for the whole family out there and to all those who prefer watching it in 3-D, the effects are seriously good in this film and your choice would be a valid one. All in all, no matter what age you may be, "The Croods" might just bring back a smile or a few memories of those old childhood fantasies where anything was possible.

I have never written a review on a movie before no matter how good or bad. But this movie really deserves high praise! I had brought the kids to see a few other animated movies before this like Wreck-it Ralph and Rise of the Guardian, but they turned out to be somewhat boring and unengaged. So I went into this not expecting much, it was more for the kids. To my surprise, I LOVED IT! It's different, funny, smart, and adventurous. I found myself giggling through most of the movies and at other times astounded by the visual effects. I also see my kids and other kids sitting at the edge of their seats at times. It is great for all ages. The picture was stunning and saturated with imagination. Dreamworks has outdone themselves with this one. I highly recommend taking your family to see this!