The Rise of Animation: Successes and Trials
The animation landscape has thrived recently, cementing its place in contemporary cinema. Half of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 were animated features, including Inside Out 2, Moana 2, Despicable Me 4, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Kung Fu Panda 4. All but two of these films scored well on Rotten Tomatoes, with Despicable Me 4 and Mufasa narrowly scraping by with Fresh scores of 56%.
The success of animation continued into 2025, dominated by China’s animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2, which broke records with over $2 billion in global box office earnings. On streaming platforms, KPop Demon Hunters has taken Netflix by storm. Meanwhile, DreamWorks’ Dog Man, launched in January, enjoyed a solid box office performance, grossing over $145 million with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%.
However, not all animated films have maintained this trajectory. Pixar’s latest offering, Elio, despite receiving a respectable 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, had a disappointing debut, raking in only $20 million—a record low for any Pixar release. Amidst these successes and setbacks, an awaited new release has sparked curiosity despite its initial negative reception.
Smurfs Debuts With A Dismal Rotten Tomatoes Score
But It’s Still The 2nd Best In The Billion-Dollar Franchise
The Smurfs franchise has made a splash, despite its latest film debuting with a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. The new reboot centers around Smurfette, who rallies her fellow Smurfs to rescue Papa Smurf from the clutches of the wicked wizards Gargamel and Razamel.
The star-studded voice cast features Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, and many more, promising a rich auditory experience. As the film preps for its theatrical release on July 18, it currently holds a dismal score of just 24% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with 33 reviews logged. An audience score is forthcoming, expected to develop further once the film is available in theaters.
Even with this poor reception, Smurfs remains the second-best entry in a franchise that has collectively accrued over $1.1 billion at the box office. Here’s how it stacks up against its predecessors:
| Movie | RT Critics Score | RT Audience Score | Box Office |
| The Smurfs (2011) | 21% | 43% | $563.7M |
| The Smurfs 2 (2013) | 14% | 56% | $348.5M |
| Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) | 41% | 54% | $197.6M |
| Smurfs (2025) | 24% | TBD | TBD |
What Smurfs’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For The Movie
What Are The Critics Saying?
The low Rotten Tomatoes score for Smurfs indicates that reviews are largely unfavorable. Critics, like Mae Abdulbaki from ScreenRant, express disappointment, mentioning, “There’s a lot of adventure in this animated musical, but there isn’t enough of everything else… while I wanted to be more enthusiastic about it, something is missing that a fun adventure can’t make up for.”
While a few reviewers highlight the film’s animation and nostalgic elements, the consensus suggests that it suffers from a chaotic narrative, uninspired characters, and a lack of emotional depth. This creative reboot, deemed shallow and overly commercial, has left many fans yearning for more than just a remixed experience.
As Smurfs gears up for its theatrical launch on July 18, the anticipation remains tempered by the film’s rocky critical reception. Will audiences resonate with Smurfette’s latest quest, or will this iteration join the ranks of its underwhelming predecessors? Only time will tell.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes