Movie Review: The Croods

Rule #1: Never leave the cave. Rule #2: Family is important no matter how strange they seem. Rule #3: Never let Nicolas Cage tell bedtime stories as they all end in death (that’s your only Nicolas Cage joke, sorry to disappoint).

With the end of the world approaching, a family of cavemen leave their home and learn to not be afraid of new things.

With the story taking place in caveman days, there’s bound to be some Stone Age humor. There are some Flintstone-style sight gags, namely when Grug (Nicolas Cage) tries to explain his ideas; it is also in this scene where you have the trademark Cage acting. Some are clever like the “snapshot” invention or the discovery of shoes but the running gag of wanting the mother-in-law dead or the leitmotif of “Dun dun dun” becomes tired after the second occurrence.

The strongest character is in fact Cage’s character. True, the overprotective father who thinks he knows best is not a new character in film but his performance stands out. It’s not just a basic epiphany and then a change of heart but rather him experiencing the paradigm shift and seeing his emotions and acting upon them. The third act is quite strong; to quote Eep, “You really need to see this.”

The visuals are far from crude, that’s for sure. Lush colors for the environment and a contrasting color palette with earth tones for the cave people make it an animated visual feast. The back cover of the case says
“An Animated Avatar“, though there is no one to attribute it to. I suppose that quote is true.

Let me say that I want that sabertooth kitty. He’d be so cuddly and loyal, based off of his acting.

Honestly, I was not looking forward to seeing this as it didn’t appeal to me. After seeing it, I appreciate the technical aspects of it. The story, while wavering at times, is the strongest in the third act. While not the best computer animated film out there in my opinion, there are some highlights that aren’t as Neanderthal as I thought; that is always a good thing.

7/10