I’m as surprised as you. I didn’t like the first one. I couldn’t imagine any way in which the sequel would both significantly and positively derail from the first. I was so convinced of this that I avoided many chances to see this film … and yet, there I am laughing hysterically at the conclusion as if The Croods: A New Age were a unique and entertaining vision of family life in the Stone Age. Go figure.
Speaking of derail, The Croods are a set of humanoid cave-dwelling barbarians living in the dawn of animated pre-civilization. Their small child is practically feral, combining bloodhound-like tracking skills with neither language skills, nor social graces of any kind. She makes a good Crood. But the feral child isn’t the focus here; neither is focus-stealing dad, Grug (voice of Nicolas Cage). The Croods are now all about the romance between Crood teen Eep (Emma Stone), and adopted Crood family member Guy (Ryan Reynolds). In the first act, they can’t have a scene without “I Think I Love You” playing in the
background.
Given the totally full Crood scene, the fam loads up their LeSabretooth and goes exploring for a more hospitable world. Guy and Eep don’t seem to notice don’t seem to notice danger at every turn, but that’s ok, Grug is so alarmist he compensates for several pack members. Grug’s alarmism intensifies when he witnesses Guy and Eep getting engaged in the middle of their family sleep pile. Suddenly, the need for a paradise of bounty and safety becomes a family necessity and –lo and behold- one appears.
Well, whatchagonnado now, Croods? Your days of mindlessly battling prehistoric creatures have yielded to creature comforts, like consistent food sources, separate bedrooms, and bathing. Oh, and here’s a small wrinkle: their New Age friends who built the paradise only want Guy. They all see the Croods the way I saw The Croods.
So what changed in this franchise? What made the difference? Why was the original so “meh” while this one seemed
palatable? The characters didn’t change and the message of togetherness is fairly standard. So that ain’t it, chief. For me, this film is much funnier than the first. I stared blankly at the original Croods; I laughed through this one. There was also better use of music and better use of Crood-isms, be they the family ball of sleep or Eep’s peanut-shell fake pinky toe. Strangely, for a sequel, this film also felt more inventive than the first, whether indulging in modern trope criticisms about screen usage or weird hybrid creatures like pig-gators and wolf-spiders.
The Croods: A New Age probably doesn’t deserve a rave, but OTOH, it really, really, really doesn’t deserve to be panned, either. They tried. They honestly tried. And they succeeded on a few occasions. I’m choosing to reward that. Oh, and FYNC!
Cavewoman gave her kinfolk a warning
Over some behavior they’d given a scorning
“Don’t get down on my Nic!
Though he seems like a prick,
He learned to walk upright this morning.”
Rated PG, 95 Minutes
Director: Joel Crawford
Writer: Kevin Hageman & Dan Hageman and Paul Fisher & Bob Logan
Genre: Films you were glad you gave a chance
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Feral children
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Those that have to deal with them the next day
