‘Smallfoot’ has a great cast but lacks clever laughs and memorable songs

    On a recent flight, I decided to watch 2018’s “Smallfoot.” I’m a fan of Channing Tatum (he once said hello to me on a film set) and Zendaya (“The Greatest Showman,” “Spiderman: Homecoming”), and the movie looked cute in trailers. Sadly, it did not deliver much more than an in-flight distraction.
    The story follows Migo (Tatum) in his island village of Yetis atop a mountain. They have a system of laws based on sacred stones preserved by the Stonekeepers. They dictate everything from who does what job to what lies below their island (nothing, according to the stones). They also discourage asking questions. I’m sure you can see where this is headed.
    Migo is studying to become the next gong ringer who is responsible for awakening the Golden Snail each day (the sun). When his aim is off, he sails passed his village and sees a plane crash. When the pilot ejects, he sees for the first time a “smallfoot.” But that can’t be possible because they aren’t written about in the stones, and anything not in the stones can’t be.
    After trying to convince the village of what he saw, he is called a liar and is banished by the Stonekeeper (the rapper Common). Ready to help him is the Smallfoot Evidentiary Society led by the Stonekeeper’s daughter Meechee (Zendaya).

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