{"id":77660,"date":"2020-12-26T07:27:30","date_gmt":"2020-12-25T21:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?p=77660"},"modified":"2020-12-25T12:25:05","modified_gmt":"2020-12-25T02:25:05","slug":"the-croods-2-a-new-age-movie-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-croods-2-a-new-age-movie-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Croods 2: A New Age – movie review"},"content":{"rendered":"

The idea that the collective is stronger than the individual underpins The Croods 2: A New Age. This is of course the sequel to the successful animated film The Croods (2013).<\/p>\n

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The story picks up when young Guy (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) is left to fend for himself. His loved ones\u2019 last words to him are to go off and \u201cfind his tomorrow\u201d. Convinced it is a place, he travels far and wide for a long, long time. Along the way he falls for cave girl Eep (Emma Stone) and is introduced to her family. While the rest of the clan is keen on him, dad Grug (Nicolas Cage) isn\u2019t sold as quickly, although gradually even he warms to Guy. So much so, that they collectively search for \u201ctomorrow\u201d, sleeping as a pack, all rolled together on top of, and entwined in, one another. They chance on a fertile walled farm, where Guy comes face-to-face with old family friends, the Bettermans, who have a daughter Dawn (Kelly Marie Tran), who is the same age as Guy. The Bettermans\u2019 practices are more sophisticated. They\u2019re a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. And that\u2019s when everything changes.<\/p>\n

The Croods are used to hunting for their food. The Bettermans are surrounded by a veritable cornucopia of delicious treats. Their farm presents as a Garden of Eden. Daddy Betterman Phil\u2019s (Peter Dinklage) only rule is not to eat the abundance of bananas. Why becomes clear later in the film and leads to more than a few hairy moments. And then there\u2019s the issue of the Bettermans wanting to pair up their daughter with Guy, sidelining Eep in the process. That leads to more trouble in paradise.<\/p>\n

Fun, colourful and kooky, The Croods 2: A New Age is a kids\u2019 charmer. In fact, it becomes more off-the-wall as it progresses. The richness of the animation \u2013 like a multi-coloured lollipop \u2013 makes it a big winner. Bouncy popular songs give it even more fizz. And it never takes itself too seriously, with good humour a driving force.<\/p>\n