'The Smurfs' are off to Paris in comedy sequel

MANILA, Philippines - In Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation’s 2011 hit “The Smurfs,” the world’s favorite three-apple-high heroes proved that fifty years of success in every medium is no accident. The film was truly a global phenomenon, going on to take in over $560 million. And now, with “The Smurfs 2,” our little heroes are seeking to make films that translate across all geographical boundaries and cultures.

Where the first film saw our adorable blue friends taking a bite out of the Big Apple, “The Smurfs 2” sees them showing off their cosmopolitan appeal with a new adventure that takes them to the City of Light – Paris, France.

As the film begins, Smurfette is in the Smurf village, surrounded by her brothers and Papa, but still feeling somewhat alone. After all, she hasn’t quite come to terms with her origins. As everyone knows, Smurfette was created by Gargamel as part of one of his evil schemes – but Papa used love and a magic spell to turn her into a True Blue Smurf. That was all a long time ago, but still… she’s not quite sure about it all.

“She starts to ask herself some questions: where does she come from, does she fit in,” says Katy Perry, who voices Smurfette. “In a way, it’s like she’s becoming a teenager, asking the same kinds of questions we all go through when we come of age. She’s really trying to figure out if she’s a real Smurf. She was created by Gargamel, so there’s a bit of naughtiness that’s been subdued for a long, long time. But it’s not about where you came from or who created you; it’s what you choose to be and where you want to go in life.”

“In a way, she thinks of Gargamel as her ‘birth father,’ if you will, and Papa as the man who raised her and nurtured her. So that’s the question – is it nature or nurture?” says director Raja Gosnell. “Is she the child of the parent who birthed her – sort of – or the child of the Smurf who raised her?”

These questions come to the fore when Gargamel plots yet another evil scheme to capture the Smurfs. “Gargamel has, in essence, created Smurfette’s ‘brother and sister’ – the Naughties, Hackus and Vexy,” explains producer Jordan Kerner. “They are just like Smurfette, created from a lump of clay. Gargamel wants to turn them into True Blue Smurfs, but only because then he can capture their essence – in fact, if he can find the magic spell that turned Smurfette True Blue, then he could make countless Smurfs and squeeze the essence out of them to become the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen.”

And the only way Gargamel can get that spell is to smurf-nap Smurfette and bring her to Paris. “If there weren’t a bad guy, there would be no need for heroes,” says Gosnell. “So what better bad guy is there than Gargamel? He’s sinister, but goofy. He’s capable of doing dark things, but you just know he’s going to mess it up. It’s so much fun to watch him plot… and plan… and flounder. Amazingly enough, I find myself rooting for Gargamel at times – he’s just so driven and passionate about what he does, and it’s so amusing to watch things go bad for him.”

The job of kidnapping Smurfette is one he tasks to Hackus and Vexy. Since they aren’t True Blue Smurfs, Hackus and Vexy aren’t Smurfs at all: in fact, they’re decidedly naughty, so that’s why Gargamel dubs them: the Naughties. And there’s nothing a Naughty like Vexy would rather do than kidnap her ‘sister,’ Smurfette. “Vexy’s not really bad – she’s misguided,” says Gosnell. “Gargamel is the only parent she’s ever known, so of course all she’s ever learned from him has been less-than-good. She sets out to manipulate Smurfette, to trick her into feeling like she’s bonding with the Naughties, like she’s part of the family. But a funny thing happens along the way and Vexy’s plan has some unintended consequences.”

When word reaches the Village that Smurfette has been kidnapped, Papa doesn’t hesitate, forming a plan to bring her back with the help of the best Smurfs for the job: Gutsy, Brainy, and Hefty. But, of course, a “clumsy” snafu ensures that Papa gets stuck with a “B” team – namely, Vanity, Clumsy, and Grouchy. (As Passive-Aggressive Smurf puts it, “I’m sure narcissism, ineptitude, and pessimism will be just as helpful. Good luck with that.”) That’s OK – Papa’s got one more trick up his sleeve: he’ll call on his old friends, the Winslows, for help once more. Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays return for another adventure with the Smurfs as Patrick and Grace Winslow.

Opening across the Philippines on August 07, “The Smurfs 2” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.