Film

The Croods

Name: The Croods
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family, Comedy
Released: 2013
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman

Survival adventure

A vibrant prehistoric adventure where a paranoid caveman father must accept the world is changing—and that his kids are smarter than he is. DreamWorks animation at its most visually inventive, packed with sight gags, genuine heart, and a surprisingly touching portrait of generational conflict wrapped in dinosaur chaos. Pure-spirited family fun.

TMDb rating

3.5

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like animated adventures where the jokes come from character clashes and a family that bickers its way through danger, with bright, busy visuals that reward a second look.

Skip it if you want a film that slows down to sit with its ideas, since it runs at a brisk pace and keeps the gags and chases coming almost without pause.

What it asks of you: Under ninety minutes of bouncy, loud, mostly light entertainment, with a gentle warmth underneath and very little that needs careful attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

How to Train Your Dragon2010

Another DreamWorks film about a father-son rift resolved through adventure, with equally gorgeous animation and a protagonist who has to unlearn everything his tribe believes. The emotional core is even stronger.

But It's become the more celebrated of the two, so if you're looking for something fresher, this might feel like the obvious choice rather than the surprising one.

The Good Dinosaur2015

Pixar's meditation on survival and family in a prehistoric world, with breathtaking landscapes and a genuine buddy-story sweetness. Less comedic than Croods but equally committed to making you feel something.

But It's slower and more contemplative. If you want constant energy and laughs, this one's more wistful than joyful.

Early Man2018

Aardman's stop-motion caveman comedy has similar warmth and visual invention, with a similar message about tribal rigidity. Charming, clever, and packed with clever details.

But Stop-motion takes patience. If you want that smooth DreamWorks flow, the frame-by-frame approach might feel choppy.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Croods

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Quest for Fire1981

Both are about humanity at a hinge moment—the difference between species and civilization. Quest for Fire earns the stakes Croods jokes about.

Werner Herzog's primal masterpiece about early humans discovering fire, shot with zero dialogue and total commitment to authenticity. It's what Croods is playing with—the real weight of survival and discovery.

But It's slow, serious, and deliberately unglamorous. You're watching people suffer and adapt, not a comedy romp. Brings genuine dread.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012

Fast, colorful, visually confident, and genuinely hilarious. DreamWorks in peak form—pure entertainment with zero pretense and characters you're rooting for by the end.

But It's silly in a way that skips character depth. If you watched Croods for its emotional honesty, this one won't scratch that itch.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted poster

Raya and the Last Dragon2021

Disney's adventure through a gorgeously imagined world, with a stubborn protagonist learning to trust. The environmental destruction stakes feel real, and the animation is sumptuous.

But It takes itself more seriously. There's less comedy and more solemn hero's-journey structure.

The Lego Movie2014

Endlessly inventive visual comedy, genuine wit for adults, and a surprisingly moving message about accepting people different from you. Pure filmmaking skill applied to something ridiculous and joyful.

But Relies on pop-culture reference humor that hasn't aged perfectly. If you're not in the mood for constant clever winks, it exhausts.

Moana2016

A young person defies their community's expectations and finds strength in what they were taught to fear. Gorgeous animation, terrific humor, and Lin-Manuel Miranda songs that actually serve the story.

But It's a coming-of-age story more than an ensemble family comedy. The tone is warmer and less laugh-focused.

Kung Fu Panda2008

DreamWorks animation with genuine warmth, a father figure who learns to believe in the unlikely hero, and action sequences that sing. It's confident and unpretentious.

But It's more martial-arts comedy than family farce. The structure is leaner and less chaotic than Croods.

ParaNorman2012

A stop-motion adventure with real heart about a boy whose differences are his strength. Beautiful animation, genuine scares, and emotional payoff that earns its sentiment.

But It's darker and more gothic. If you want unambiguous fun, this has creepy undertones throughout.

The Owl House2020

Same trajectory: a young person's way of seeing the world is right, and the old guard has to adapt or be left behind. But it's TV, serialized, and lets both sides earn their growth.

An animated series about a girl exiled into a strange world with creatures who don't accept her father's rules. The show's found-family joy and its willingness to make the rigid patriarch eventually say 'I was wrong' rivals Croods' heart.

But It's episodic and accumulative—you need to watch from the start. Also, it gets darker and more serious in later seasons.

Fantastic Mr. Fox2009

Two films about fathers accepting their children as independent people with better instincts. Croods is wild chaos; this is controlled precision. Same essential story, completely different register.

Wes Anderson's stop-motion fable about a fox who must reunite his fractured family and community against impossible odds. It's a father learning his kids aren't extensions of his will, plus pure visual artistry. Comedy and tenderness in perfect balance.

But It's mannered and controlled in a way that feels cold at first. The humor is dry. If you want Croods' warmth and energy, this is the opposite approach.