By Bob Gibbons
Dino, I don’t think we’re in Bedrock anymore. I went to The Croods expecting an update of The Flintstones – and got something else entirely. What we have here is a stylish and sophisticated work of animation. What’s lacking in storyline is more than made up for in imaginative visuals, so although there’s not much for the heart to feel, there sure is a lot for the eye to see and the mind to comprehend. This movie, especially in its lavish use of color and majestic backgrounds, reminded me more of the original Fantasia than of any other animated film I had ever seen. It should have been made by the Walt Disney Company. At times, it’s simply, spectacularly, ambitiously beautiful. There’s enough slapstick to keep even the youngest members of the audience entertained – and enough sophistication and art direction to keep someone like me fully immersed. In the end, The Croods is anything but crude; it’s a warm family film, a visually imaginative trip filled with wonder and restless creativity.