The Croods is out to own on DVD and Blu-ray on December 9th, just in time for Christmas. It tells the story of a pre-historic family as they embark on a perilous journey through an incredible new world.
The family have lived by a set of rules to keep them alive and protective father Grug teaches his brood to be afraid of everything in order to stay alive. They spend all their time hidden in their dark cave, but teenager Eep has had enough of this life and she wants more. One night she sneaks away from her cave home and meets Guy, who tells her that the world they know is changing and 'The End' is coming. The Croods are forced to join Guy on a crazy road trip through a fantastic world filled with fabulous creatures and fraught with danger, to find a safe new place to call home.
The film is visually stunning. The fabulous scenery, animals and plants are wonderfully imaginative and bring to life this rich and detailed world full of beauty and danger. You feel the peril of the catastrophic, world changing events and you experience the wonder of The Croods as they see brand new things for the first time.
The relationship between the family members is similar to the dynamics of many modern families and you feel empathy for the characters as you recognise your own traits! We see the rebellious teenager and her over-protective father as they clash heads again and again. Grug's dismay at his daughter's developing relationship with Guy shows his reluctance to let her grow up. Something I'm sure most dads can relate to. But the love between them is strong enough to see them through. The daddy/daughter relationship is a very precious thing. The Croods is a great story which takes on the universal subject of family brilliantly.
The emotional journey of the film is really powerful, and it made me and my girls cry! It really pulls at the heart strings as you see Grug's acceptance and understanding of the changes going on in his family and in the world as a whole. Everything he trusted and believed in is challenged, but he finds a capacity for change inside himself. Grug is a great character and his evolution throughout the story is one of my favourite parts of the film. He is beautifully portrayed as the big, strong protector of his family, who is doing his best to keep them safe using brawn but not brain. Meeting Guy, who is an ideas man, really challenges everything he believes in but he finds a way to adapt for his family's sake. It is really moving!!
There are lots of funny moments. Some of my favourite gags came via Guy's overly dramatic pet sloth 'Belt', so-called because he helps keep his trousers up! Belt is really cute and funny and all the children loved him.
The scene where Grug tries his hand at being an 'ideas' man brings a host of laugh out loud moments as his plans all backfire. His camera invention was particularly funny!! There is humour for both adults and grown-ups to enjoy.
The stunning hybrid animals of the imagined pre-historic world are remarkable. The flesh-eating, swarming, pink Piranhakeet birds were my personal favourite. The colourful, sabre-toothed tiger style Macawnivore was gorgeously illustrated. His fur looked positively stroke-able. The Extras includes a Croodacious Creature feature explaining all about the amazing animals of the film.
The Croods' journey is fraught with peril as earthquakes, explosions and rock slides threaten their every step, but with determination, teamwork and imagination they overcome the obstacles that stand between them and a happy ending. A perfect metaphor for modern living!
4 year old Freddy enjoyed watching The Croods with his big sisters. He laughed at all the slapstick comedy moments and liked the animals, especially the colourful Macawnivore. His favourite part was the song "Shine Your Way" at the end of the film, which he danced to with gusto!
11 year old Kizzy said, "It was a really enjoyable film and it made me cry. My favourite character was Guy because he was funny and cool and his pet Belt was adorable. I loved the way that they wanted to ride the sun to tomorrow and find a better life."
17 year old Ella said, " It was such a good film. Nicholas Cage and Emma Stone were brilliant and well cast as Grug and Eep and I loved their relationship."
This DVD is definitely a great idea for a Christmas present or stocking filler that the kids will love. It is a film that can be watched and enjoyed again and again!
We received The Croods from Mumsnet so we could do this review.
