The Croods

Rating: 5/10 (10 March 2016)

I knew this film was about cavemen, that's about it really, I was prepared to give it a try and make myself feel like a kid again, directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) and Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps). Basically in the prehistoric era, The Croods are a Neanderthal family: father and husband Grug (Nicolas Cage), mother and wife Ugga (Catherine Keener), teenage daughter Eep (Emma Stone), son Thunk (Clark Duke), ferocious baby daughter Sandy (Randy Thom) and grandmother Gran (Cloris Leachman). The family hardly get out of their cave, having seen many of their friends and neighbours killed by various elements and creatures of the world, Grug is over-protective and stubborn to make any changes, even if it would benefit them for food and survival. Eep is a rebel and questions why they have to live in the dark, one day she sees a light and sneaks out of the cave, she finds inventive modern human boy Guy (Ryan Reynolds) and his pet sloth Belt (Chris Sanders). Guy has discovered how to make fire, he also warns of an oncoming apocalypse, that will destroy the land, he offers to help Eep and her family find safety, but concerned she stays, he gives her a shell horn to blow if she needs help. Soon enough a massive earthquake destroys the land, and the home of the Croods, the family are forced to venture into the tropical forest and escape the carnivores and other new creatures, Eep calls for Guy, but worried for his family, Grug imprisons Guy in a log until he can guide them somewhere safe. Escaping the destruction, Guy is let out of the log and creates shoes for the family, to walk across the harsh landscape, Guy explains that he and all humans have a brain and can come up with ideas, Grug becomes jealous of Guy's impression on the family, and realises Eep has fallen in love with him. Attempting to invent things like Guy, Grug only embarrasses himself and drives the family further away from him as they continue to travel to a place called "Tomorrow", there is a point when the family are split by tunnels, all but Grug escape, coming up with ideas. Reaching the mountain, Grug wants the family to hide in a cave, they refuse, saying they don't want to "survive", but to "live", Grug is enraged and attacks Guy, they end up falling into the tar flow, Guy tells that his family perished in one, Grug realises Guy's method of survival is better than his, they work together to get out, they succeed and reunite with the others. Then the land violently rips apart and the family are cut off from their destination, Grug realising the error of his ways throws his family to safety, he shares an invention which he calls a "hug" with Eep, it appears that Grug has fallen, but manages to create a makeshift airship and fly across the chasm. In the end the Croods are happily reunited, Grug apologises and promises not to be so overbearing again, and they find a beautiful land to live on a vast beach, where everyday they can follow the light to "Tomorrow". The voice cast are all well chosen for their parts, the story is nice and simplistic, the ideas thrown together about what Neanderthals discover is clever, and their many weird and wonderful creatures and landscapes along the way that you will never have seen before, I admit some of it is predictable, the worried father trying to right for his family but being a complete buzzkill I have seen before, but the colourful animation, which can be seen in 3D also, is great, and this is something all the family can enjoy, a fun computer-animated comedy adventure. Worth watching!