Film: The Croods
Voice Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener and Clark Duke
Directors: Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco
Ironically, my viewing of The Croods was constantly interrupted by ringing mobile phones, loud conversations, unrepentant latecomers guided by apologetic-but-helpless ushers, and annoying children who kept up a running commentary. The experience may have layered my understanding of the concept of ‘Neanderthal’. The film itself seeks to highlight the converse – that the instincts of families back in the Palaeolithic Age had evolved about as much as they have in the present day.
The Croods takes us back to the caves even as the DreamWorks logo plays out, and the story so far is told in a rather lovely, animated prologue. The narrator is Eep (Emma Stone), an incorrigible adventurer who seeks to break the many embargoes imposed by her paranoid father Grug (Nicolas Cage). The rest of the Crood brood has names like Ugga and Thunk, and some of the nomenclature is even more functional – Baby, Gran, Guy, Belt.
The premise of the film is sweet enough – it’s the evergreen story of a man who’s trying to keep his family safe, while struggling with his growing awareness of his inability to protect them, and coming to terms with the idea of another man in his daughter’s life. It’s also a survival story. So you know the end even as the film begins. To its credit, The Croods is shorter than many of its ilk and manages to amuse, though not without reminding us of movies we’ve seen before.
That the target audience for the film would mainly comprise children is apparent from the repartee and word play. Fittingly, the story keeps up a manic pace, rarely taking a break from its chases. The first has the family foraging for breakfast, rugby style. We eventually follow them into the elusive ‘Tomorrow’, as they escape the treachery of shifting tectonic plates.
Grug has simple rules – “Never not be afraid”, “New is always bad”, “Fear keeps us alive”, “Curiosity leaves you dead”. He’s pitted against Guy (Ryan Reynolds), who has Fire, ideas and charm. As the Croods make their escape, the film luxuriates in some truly gorgeous landscapes. While there is a profusion of hurtling and tumbling to maximise the effect of the 3D, there are calmer moments when the breathtaking vistas make us want to reach out and touch them. There appears to be an interesting parallel between the texture of the setting, and the mindset of the family. We begin in a barren land dotted with caves, and move through colourful tropical forests, till we arrive at the final destination – Tomorrow.
That said, there are several elaborate gags on the habits of cavemen. They get lice picked out, dust beaten off, and bedtime stories illustrated on the walls. They sharpen their teeth at night. They choke people and order them to “make us some fire”! Their idea of courtship is to hand out horns and say, “If you survive, call me.” They are chuffed when they’re told they’re heavy. Thankfully, these are offset by moments that can actually be fun, such as the manner in which the family deals with ‘baby suns’...well, fire.
Verdict: The Croods will probably make a good outing for the kids, though I did find myself chuckling every now and again.