"The Croods" Gets a Sequel

I think we all saw this one coming. DreamWorks' The Croods is getting a sequel. This was announced two days ago by the Hollywood Reporter, and it was also brought up during Fox's presentation at CinemaCon yesterday. During that presentation, they also showed footage from upcoming DreamWorks films such as Mr. Peabody and Sherman and How To Train Your Dragon 2.

What do we know so far? Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco, the directors of the film, will return to helm the sequel. When is it coming out? Who knows, but my money is on a March 2017 release. This was very inevitable since The Croods was something of a relief for the studio, after the disappointing performance of the very good Rise of the Guardians and the layoffs that followed. The film, to date, has grossed over $388 million at the worldwide box office and it should gross in the mid-400s by the end of its run. The Sanders-DeMicco romp really appealed to family audiences, plus there was next to no competition in its way.

As you all know, I was one of the few who didn't love The Croods. I felt it was a decent adventure comedy at best, but with uneven pacing and an inconsistent tone. That being said, who knows what the two directors will bring to the table for the sequel. Perhaps it could be better. DreamWorks has shown lately that they want to improve upon the flaws in their films with the sequels. Madagascar is at best an average film that has story problems, but the sequel corrects those problems. Madagascar 3 is even better, sticking to a tone that works perfectly and also telling a surprisingly good story. Kung Fu Panda 2 has a much better and much more dramatic storyline than its predecessor, yet it's still action-packed and loaded with fun. Shrek Forever After ditches what Shrek's two lackluster sequels went for and instead tries to tell a story, even if the story is not so good. Puss in Boots also avoids the Shrek formula and it makes for a solid fantasy adventure that can be separated from the Shrek franchise. In short, most of the recent DreamWorks sequels are good.

So a Croods sequel could be good. Maybe the crew will focus on the characters a little more and less on funny stuff. I have a feeling that this is going to be the DreamWorks equivalent of the Ice Age franchise: A very appealing prehistoric-set comedy series that'll kill at the box office each time out. Coincidentally, both are released under 20th Century Fox. Anyways, all I can say is, go for it DreamWorks!

Do you think a Croods sequel will work? Or do you think that it isn't necessary? When do you think it'll hit theaters? Sound off below!

Not Quite Crood

I happened to catch the first big animated film of 2013 just a few hours ago... DreamWorks' The Croods!

To start off, the animation in this film is jaw-dropping. Not only does it look great, but the whole design of the film is just flat out creative. Prehistoric Earth is different presented in a far more colorful way than the usual, from the unusual-looking rock formations to the vibrant vegetation. The creatures that we see in this film are just awesome... The designs of all the beasts that the titular family encounter on their journey are very nice... Again, it's just one really great-looking film. Everything in it is just eye candy, and it's the kind of eye candy that only an animated film can give you. Thumbs up to the traditionally animated opening sequence!

The story? It's decent enough. It's not exactly shattering or innovative, it's the standard kind of story where the father fears anything "new" and prefers to stick with the tried and true. I think they did a pretty good job with the father-daughter story, and it didn't really come off as the typical "parent is overprotective of the adventurous child" story though it wasn't exactly a fresh new spin either. It was harmless for the most part and it works, it stays consistent throughout though. Most of the characters are likable too.

The family is well-defined and the father's actions make sense as he does have every good reason to be afraid. That's all well done and yes, there really isn't too much to the story but there isn't too little either. It's decidedly very simplistic. I was initially not too sure whether I'd like the leads because from watching the trailers, I just wasn't too fond of their designs. I felt that they were a little too exaggerated, but once you get halfway through the film, you get pretty used to them.

So is the writing any good? Well... It needs a little work. The first half of the film has very uneven pacing, making the film feel more like a kids film than a family film. It had its hyperactive moments, but they weren't quite well balanced with the slower moments. The pacing of the first half can best be described as... Fast! Slow! Fast! Slow! Fast! Slow!

The second half is far better, where the film finally starts taking a real breather and allows for some development to be made on Grugg and his daughter Eep. The other characters, aside from Guy, really only function as comic relief more than anything. The humor ranges from clever to forced. There is a lot of slapstick, but not all of it really works. At many times, the slapstick seems to come out of nowhere... Again, this is a result of the pacing. The film has a hard time finding a mood in the first half, feeling like a kids film. The second half feels like a family film, with less random humor and more focus on the story.

The film was directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco. Sanders is usually renowned for his sense of storytelling and his quirky creativity. His creativity definitely shines in this film, like I said, it's wonderful to look at and there are sequences where you find yourself immersed in this world that they created. These are the better moments of the film where the story actually has a point, rather than taking a backseat to jokes. I feel that there was definitely a clash of styles with this film, as Kirk DeMicco doesn't have such a hot track record. My theory is that Sanders wanted quirkiness and emotional stuff (much like his other two films, Lilo & Stitch and How To Train Your Dragon) while DeMicco wanted jokes and pacing that's suited for kids after they've downed a bowl of candy.

A lot of the humor is either slapstick or Flinestones-esque spins on modern things, some of those jokes were better than most of the stuff that was on display in that show. The photo joke was particularly funny along with a few other things, while some were just cringeworthy. Some of the humor concerning the different animals was well-handled too, particularly the bits with the saber-toothed tiger. The humor is overall a mixed bag, something I was somewhat expecting since DreamWorks is still figuring out how to use humor and what kind to use.

So The Croods is basically half good family film / half "hit-or-miss kids film trying to appeal to adults". It's not a bad film, it's just wildly uneven at parts. Messy first half, very good second half... The Croods is a fun little flick at best with truly impressive visuals. It's nice lightweight fare with a little extra. Recommended!

A Rebound

DreamWorks Animation's The Croods was a box office hit this weekend... Yes, this was inevitable for many reasons. Despite the fact that the trailers and marketing turned off a lot of folks in the animation community (I wasn't one of them, I was more mixed on what I was seeing), it sure did well with general audiences. I was expecting that to happen. The prehistoric comedy-adventure opened with a very good $43 million, and an additional $62 million overseas. It's off to a good start.

The studio's last release, Rise of the Guardians, was sadly a box office disappointment. I finally saw the film for the first time yesterday and loved it, but like I said before, I could see why it had trouble on opening weekend. I didn't think The Croods would be in any trouble; it looked far more accessible than Guardians. A family of cavemen going on a colorful, comedic adventure? Easier sell than a fairly serious film about epic fantasy-like versions of our childhood legends teaming up to save the children of the world. Fox's marketing for this film focused on the fun and comedic tone of the film, and that's why it appealed.

How will it do in the long run? Well, most DreamWorks films get good word-of-mouth. This film has all of April to itself without any major family-friendly competition; though something like G.I. Joe: Retaliation (also in 3D) can take away some younger audiences, this'll have staying power until the big blockbusters come in. I think it could finish up with around $150-170 million domestically. The "A" grade on CinemaScore and the good reception guarantee that this will be a hit and a rebound for the studio.

"The Croods" Digs Up Good Reception

The other day, DreamWorks' new animated film The Croods had a solid 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. It seemed like the new Chris Sanders film was another winner much like his last film - and his first for DreamWorks - How To Train Your Dragon.

But now that the film has finally opened and more critics have seen it, the percentage dropped quite a bit... To a respectable 64%. Metacritic, on the other hand, has it at a "mixed" 56. However, Rise of the Guardians has a 57 on there while its percentage on Rotten Tomatoes was over 70%, ditto Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (RT - 79% / Meta - 60).

Once again, it's another critical success for DreamWorks! Another indicator of how well they've been doing lately.

Reviews imply that the film looks great and is overall a fun romp for the whole family, but it's definitely not up to the best. Other reviews somewhat confirm what I thought this film would turn out to be. It's more in line with Madagascar than How To Train Your Dragon, so it's a little more comedic and it has quite a bit of slapstick. Nothing wrong with that, Madagascar 3 took that tone and ran with it. In turn, it was a good film because of that. I may say the same thing about this film.

So basically, according to the critics, The Croods is a fun flick but nothing spectacular. Well, we'll see what I think of it. I may think it's great, very good or maybe mediocre... You never know! When I get around to seeing it, expect a review!

Kinda Crood

I was one of the few that was actually very fond of the teaser for DreamWorks' The Croods. That said teaser was met with mixed reactions, some of which were very negative while others couldn't find much to praise either. I guess I'm going to be in the minority again, because I actually preferred that teaser to the trailer, which just debuted today on iTunes.

Now it's not a bad trailer by any means, but I couldn't help but feel let down. The Croods looks a little more screwball than something like How To Train Your Dragon, as I have been admiring DreamWorks' recent turn towards more serious films that aren't crammed with tomfoolery, antics and yes... Those dreaded pop culture references! This looks like it'll be more in line with Madagascar, which is not necessarily a terrible thing. Madagascar, the third film in particular, used its silly tone to its advantage and made for a hilarious, entertaining romp. The Croods may or may not achieve this, and I have feeling it might not.

The more Ice Age-like feel clashes with the lush, colorful visuals and the big action-packed story. The world that DreamWorks' animators created for this film is flat out breathtaking and creative. No doubt it will be total eye candy, and not to mention the various beasts that the family of the Croods encounter on their journey. I also like that the trailer showed us more of Guy, which the early synopsis described as a man Eeb meets, a man who thinks ahead and about the future. Now he's known as the man with the brains, not the strength.

So basically, it's beautiful imagery vs. silly writing and humor. I have no doubt that Chris Sanders probably crafted a good story here, but the other director (Kirk DeMicco) was the man who helmed Space Chimps, an animated film from 2008 which many will agree was pretty bad. Though he may not be to blame for what we see in the trailer, it's a bit strange since Sanders normally avoids the silly stuff and goes for something serious, hence Lilo & Stitch and How To Train Your Dragon. This one may be a clash of two different visions, but hopefully I'm proven wrong on March 22nd.

From where I stand currently, The Croods reminds me of Blue Sky's upcoming Epic: A great-looking film, but one that is probably going to be more focused on comic relief and less on heart and character development. Again, I could be dead wrong and both will end up really impressing me. I am still looking forward to this and Epic, so who knows...

What did you think of the trailer? Did you like it? Or do you think this will be a clunker? Sound off!