Movie Review: The Croods

Directed by: Kirk De Micco, 2013

IMDb listing

Pros: hilarious, quirky characters, unique critters

Cons: unrealistic geography

Teenaged Eep is tired of hiding in dark caves all the time with her family, putting her at odds with her change resistant father.  On an illicit trip outside the cave one night she encounters a stranger with lots of ideas and the ability to create fire.  He brings news that their world is being destroyed.  When the Crood family’s cave is crushed, they must all adapt on their search for a new home.

This is a kids film for adults who liked Shrek.  While there’s plenty of slapstick to keep the kids entertained, there’s also a lot of in-jokes for the parents (and non-parents) in the audience.  I found myself laughing for most of the film.

The characters are outrageously quirky, doing impossibly acrobatic things, falling from extreme heights without injury, etc.  The baby of the family is treated much like a dog, and runs like one too.  The dad hates his mother-in-law and keeps hoping she’ll die of natural (like dangerous animal) causes.  

There are a lot of fantastical creatures in the film, most of which are not cute and cuddly (though, like Guy’s sloth belt, there are some of those).

My husband didn’t like the unrealistic geography.  The characters are constantly falling down huge mountains and cliffs, while only once climbing up anything.

Honestly, this movie’s a lot of fun.  If the idea of crossing Shrek with The Flintstones interests you, pick this up.