The Croods: A New Age (2020)
Story overview
The Croods: A New Age follows the prehistoric Crood family as they discover a walled paradise inhabited by the more advanced Bettermans. This leads to culture clashes and comedic misunderstandings between the two families. The story explores themes of family bonds, adapting to change, and finding common ground despite differences. Ultimately, both families must work together to face new challenges in their evolving world.
Parent Guide
A family-friendly animated adventure with positive messages about family, acceptance, and cooperation.
Content breakdown
Cartoonish action with prehistoric creatures, falls, and mild confrontations. No graphic violence.
Some mildly intense scenes with large creatures and family conflicts, but resolved positively.
No offensive language; typical family-friendly dialogue.
No sexual content or nudity; characters wear prehistoric-style coverings.
No substance use depicted.
Some family tension and mild peril, but overall lighthearted tone.
Parent tips
This animated sequel is generally family-friendly with its PG rating, featuring colorful animation and slapstick humor typical of the genre. Parents should be aware of some mild peril and comedic violence involving prehistoric creatures and family conflicts, though nothing graphic. The film's themes about family dynamics and accepting differences provide good conversation starters for children.
Parent chat guide
Parent follow-up questions
- Which character made you laugh the most?
- What was your favorite animal in the movie?
- How did the families help each other?
- What would you do if you met a new family?
- What colors did you like in the movie?
- What were some differences between the Croods and Bettermans?
- How did the characters solve their problems together?
- What does it mean to be a good friend to someone different from you?
- What lessons did the families learn about working together?
- How did the characters show bravery in the story?
- What does the movie say about balancing tradition with new ideas?
- How did the characters' perspectives change throughout the story?
- What real-life situations might be similar to the families' conflicts?
- How did humor help the characters deal with difficult situations?
- What qualities make a family strong according to the movie?
- How does the film portray cultural differences and assimilation?
- What commentary might the movie be making about modern family dynamics?
- How do the characters balance individuality with family unity?
- What storytelling techniques made the prehistoric world engaging?
- How might the film's themes apply to contemporary social situations?
🎭 Story Kernel
The film cleverly uses the prehistoric setting to explore modern anxieties about family, community, and progress. It's not really about survival against woolly mammoths, but about the survival of identity when faced with a 'better' way of life. The Bettermans represent the seductive trap of comfort and conformity—their walled paradise is a gated community that promises safety at the cost of authenticity. Grug's journey isn't to defeat a monster, but to realize that his family's chaotic, improvisational love is a superior evolutionary trait to the Bettermans' rigid, planned perfection. The core conflict is between two definitions of 'better': one material and controlled, the other emotional and adaptive.
🎬 Visual Aesthetics
The animation creates a distinct visual dichotomy between the two families. The Bettermans' world is rendered in harmonious, saturated pastels with smooth, geometric shapes—their fruit is perfectly round, their home is angular and pristine. In contrast, the Croods' aesthetic is one of beautiful chaos: earthy, textured colors, asymmetrical designs, and a camera that often employs dynamic, handheld-style movements during their frantic chases. The 'Punch Monkeys' sequence is a masterclass in animated slapstick, using rapid cuts and exaggerated physics that feel like a Looney Tunes cartoon filtered through a psychedelic lens. The film's color palette literally brightens as the families merge, symbolizing the integration of their worldviews.
🔍 Details & Easter Eggs
💡 Behind the Scenes
This sequel took seven years to develop, partly because the creative team wanted a story that justified a return to these characters. Director Joel Crawford shifted the focus from pure survival to a culture clash comedy. A significant animation challenge was creating the new 'Punch Monkey' creatures, which required developing a new fur simulation technology to handle their massive, chaotic movements. Voice actor Peter Dinklage (Phil Betterman) reportedly improvised several of his character's more pompous lines, leaning into a comedic arrogance that wasn't fully in the initial script.
Where to watch
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Trailer
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