A talented voice cast, vibrant animation, and some broad, family-friendly themes make The Croods: A New Age a solid, if safe, follow-up to the 2013 animated hit. Arriving around seven years after the original, this sequel offers a lively family adventure that should satisfy fans of the first film—at least for the most part.
The road to The Croods: A New Age hasn’t exactly been smooth. Announced back in 2013, the sequel spent years in development before being scrapped in 2016 following Universal Pictures’ acquisition of DreamWorks Animation. It was revived in 2017, this time with Joel Crawford stepping in as director, replacing original helmers Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders. So, was the wait worth it? If you were on board for the first film’s mix of slapstick and sentimentality: mostly.
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Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and the late Cloris Leachman all return to voice the Crood family, still on the hunt for a new home while navigating a dangerous, prehistoric world. Grug (Cage) remains committed to keeping the family tightly bound, though his protective instincts are tested by the growing romance between Eep (Stone) and Guy (Reynolds), who are dreaming of a future beyond the clan. When the Croods stumble across a seemingly perfect oasis, their hopes are raised—until they realise they’ve wandered into the territory of the Bettermans (yes, really): a more evolved family consisting of dad Phil (Peter Dinklage), mum Hope (Leslie Mann), and daughter Dawn (Kelly Marie Tran). Warm and accommodating at first, the Bettermans’ hospitality gradually gives way to passive-aggressive tension.
As sequels go, this is a respectable one. Despite the production hiccups, the story picks up fluidly from the original. The animation is bold and colourful, if perhaps lacking some of the visual ingenuity that gave the first film its charm. There’s a heavier lean toward psychedelic imagery this time around—eye-popping for sure, but possibly overwhelming for younger viewers. Still, the film zips along at a brisk pace and doesn’t get lost in its more chaotic moments.
Much like its predecessor, the film is centred on family dynamics. The inclusion of the Bettermans introduces an odd-couple energy, offering plenty of opportunity for class-clash comedy and well-worn life lessons. Gags come thick and fast, from zippy one-liners to an avalanche of visual slapstick. It’s broad, easygoing fun—light enough for kids, with enough bite for adults to find a few laughs.
The messages, while solid, are familiar. ‘Parents mean well,’ ‘kids need to grow up’—the usual beats found across animated family fare. There’s not much in the way of fresh insight, and it would’ve benefitted from a stronger emotional core. It doesn’t quite hit the surprising depth of the first film, which managed to pack a bit more heart beneath its chaotic surface.
Still, The Croods: A New Age delivers what it sets out to: cheerful, risk-free entertainment. It’s bright, it’s loud, and it’s broadly accessible—studio animation comfort food. In a year where distractions are welcome, you could do far worse than this crowd-pleasing romp.
