The Smurfs 2 (2013 film)

The Smurfs 2 is a 2013 American live-action/animated 3D fantasy adventure comedy film based on the characters and works by Peyo. Directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, produced by Jordan Kerner, Nine Culliford and Lori Forte and written by Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Jason Carter Eaton and Peter Ackerman based on a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it is a direct sequel to The Smurfs (2011) and reprises Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays and Hank Azaria, with the voices of Jonathan Winters, Grey DeLisle, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, Fred Armisen, Alan Cumming, and Frank Welker. Added to the cast include Christina Ricci and J. B. Smoove as Vexy and Hackus, and Brendan Gleeson as Victor Doyle, Patrick's step-father, Grace's step-father-in-law and Blue's step-grandfather.

In the film, Gargamel creates a couple of evil Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties to harness the magical Smurf-essence. When he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants and that only Smurfette can turn the Naughties into the real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and takes her to Paris. Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity return to the human world and seek the help of their friends Patrick and Grace Winslow to rescue Smurfette from Gargamel and when the Smurfs gets captured. The film marked Jonathan Winters' last film role prior to his death in April 2013. The film was dedicated to him in his memory.

The sequel entered development after the financial success of the first film, with Steven Spielberg returning to direct and produce. Jonathan Winters, Grey DeLisle, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, and John Oliver returned to the film in the main voice roles with Christina Ricci and J. B. Smoove as newly-introduced characters Vexy and Hackus, two Smurf-like creatures nicknamed "Naughties", created by Gargamel. Principal photography commenced in Montreal, Québec in Canada, with several scenes filmed on location in the new film studios Cité du Cinéma in France. Commencing in April 2012 and wrapping in August, the film was produced by 20th Century Fox, its animation division 20th Century Fox Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and The K Entertainment Company, with 2D animation provided by Yowza! Animation, Rough Draft Studios, Sunwoo Entertainment and Duncan Studio. Bardel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Imageworks handled visual effects, with Rhythm & Hues Studios and Tippett Studio providing the CGI work for Azrael.

The Smurfs 2 premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on July 12, 2013 and was theatrically released in the United States on July 31, 2013 by 20th Century Fox and internationally on August 5, 2013 by Warner Bros. Pictures in 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX formats. Unlike its predecessor, it received mixed-to-negative reviews, with praise for its animation, voice performances by Winters, DeLisle, Yelchin, Ricci and Smoove and musical score by Heitor Pereira, though criticism was aimed toward the plot, runtime, humor, pacing, and performances by Harris, though gave praise to Azaria's performance as Gargamel. It was a box office success, grossing $347 million worldwide against its budget of $125 million, grossing lower than its predecessor. A third film, The Smurfs 3, was released in 2016, while a fourth film, titled The Smurfs 4, is set for release in 2023.

Plot
In preparation for her birthday celebration, the Smurfs read the story of Smurfette, how she was created by Gargamel to destroy them, only for Papa Smurf to rescue her and turn her fully into a Smurf. Meanwhile, she is having nightmares about reverting to her original form and betraying her fellow Smurfs by turning them over to Gargamel. The Smurfs are preparing a surprise party, but as Smurfette tries to find out what her fellow Smurfs are planning, none of them are saying a word. She takes this to mean that everyone has forgotten her birthday.

In Paris, Gargamel and Azrael are now celebrities, amazing people with Gargamel's sorcery, but he is running low on the Smurf essence that gives him his magic powers. With his new creations, evil Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties, named Vexy and Hackus, Gargamel creates a portal to Smurf Village by using the Eiffel Tower as a conduit so that he can kidnap Smurfette as revenge on The Smurfs for previously defeating him and, through her, obtain Papa's secret formula for creating Smurfs. However, Gargamel is too large to go through the portal, so he sends Vexy through it to kidnap Smurfette.

The Smurfs witness the abduction of Smurfette and inform Papa, who uses his magic to create crystals that allow several of his Smurfs to travel directly to the residence of their human allies, Patrick and Grace Winslow, in New York City in order to seek his help to rescue Smurfette. Papa originally intends for Brainy, Hefty and Gutsy to use the crystals, but through an accident, Clumsy, Grouchy and Vanity use them instead. The Smurfs arrive in Patrick and Grace's apartment right after the celebration of their son Blue's fourth birthday where they meet Patrick's stepfather, Victor Doyle, who is a constant embarrassment to Patrick. The Smurfs soon discover Gargamel is in Paris and set off with the Winslows and Victor to find him.

Upon arrival in Paris, Patrick and Grace work with Victor to distract Gargamel during one of his performances, while the Smurfs sneak backstage in Gargamel's dressing room to look for Smurfette, only to discover what Gargamel is planning. At the same time, Smurfette escapes from her prison, and Vexy and Hackus chase after her. Vexy encourages her to become one of them, claiming that naughty is fun. Upon her return to Gargamel's hotel suite with the Naughties, Gargamel presents her with a tiny dragon wand as a feigned act of kindness. Smurfette still refuses to give Gargamel the formula until she sees the Naughties are dying due to a lack of Smurf essence. Faced without an alternative to save them, Smurfette writes the formula down and Gargamel uses it to turn the Naughties into real Smurfs. Immediately after they become Smurfs, Gargamel puts them into his Smurfalator so he can carry out the rest of his plan.

Meanwhile, Patrick, Victor and the Smurfs work together to rescue Smurfette. The Smurfs are soon captured and put into the Smurfalator, powering Gargamel's large-sized dragon wand. Patrick and Victor arrive just in time to destroy the Smurfalator together, causing an explosion of Smurf essence that destroys the written formula and frees the Smurfs from their cages. Everyone is blasted out of Gargamel's lair through a sewer hole where Patrick and Victor reunite with Grace and Blue. Gargamel reappears out of the sewer hole only to be blasted away by Smurfette with her new wand. He then falls onto the Notre Dame Cathedral, where he accidentally brings a stone gargoyle to life, which then throws him to the top of the Eiffel Tower where fireworks are then set off, sending him into the air. The Smurfs bid farewell to the Winslows, then return home with Vexy and Hackus to celebrate Smurfette's birthday.

In two post-credit sequences, Gargamel and Azrael are pulled into the portal, sending them back to their castle, and they later have a fight.

Live-action actors

 * Hank Azaria as Gargamel, an evil wizard
 * Mr. Krinkle as Azrael, Gargamel's cat
 * Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick "Pat" Winslow, Victor's step-son
 * Brendan Gleeson as Victor Doyle, Patrick's step-father, Grace's step-father-in-law and Blue's step-grandfather
 * Jayma Mays as Gracie "Grace" Winslow, Patrick's wife, Blue's mother and Victor's step-daughter-in-law
 * Jacob Tremblay as Blue Winslow, Patrick and Grace's son and Victor's step-grandson
 * Nancy O'Dell as herself, a television interviewer

Voice actors

 * Grey DeLisle as Smurfette
 * Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf
 * Anton Yelchin as Clumsy Smurf
 * Christina Ricci as Vexy, a smart and mischievous Smurf-like creature called a "Naughty" created by Gargamel and Grouchy Smurf's love interest
 * J. B. Smoove as Hackus, a funny and physical Smurf-like creature called a "Naughty" created by Gargamel
 * Fred Armisen as Brainy Smurf
 * Alan Cumming as Gutsy Smurf
 * George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf/Positive Smurf
 * John Oliver as Vanity Smurf
 * Mario Lopez as Social Smurf
 * Jimmy Kimmel as Passive Aggressive Smurf
 * Frank Welker as Azrael
 * Tom Kane as Narrator Smurf
 * Paul Reubens as Jokey Smurf
 * Gordon Ramsay as Baker Smurf
 * Shaquille O'Neal as Smooth Smurf
 * Shaun White as Clueless Smurf
 * Jeff Foxworthy as Handy Smurf
 * Gary Basaraba as Hefty Smurf
 * Adam Wylie as Panicky Smurf
 * Joel McCrary as Farmer Smurf
 * Kenan Thompson as Greedy Smurf
 * John Kassir as Crazy Smurf
 * Kevin Lee as Party Planner Smurf