THE BOXTROLLS (PG)
Released by Focus Features
Review by Adam Mast
In the whimsical, stop motion animated fantasy THE BOXTROLLS, a community of mischievious underground trash collectors raise a human child as their own, but their way of life is ultimately threatened by Archibald Snatcher, a fiendish lower class citizen out to climb the social ladder. Snatcher is operating under the belief that if he can rid Cheesebridge of all Boxtrolls, it will be his ticket to high society. As for the Boxtrolls themselves, they are, as you probably gathered, completely misunderstood.
The central theme in THE BOXTROLLS is to be yourself and never be ashamed of who you are. A common theme, right? That may very well be but happily, there is nothing at all common about the world THE BOXTROLLS inhabit. Sure, this animated feature has elements of GREMLINS and other films of that nature but Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi, and the creative geniuses at Laika have created a movie that exists in its own unique universe.
THE BOXTROLLS is based on the children’s book, HERE BE MONSTERS, and while this is a family film, it is definitely dark around the edges. As was the case with CORALINE and PARANORMAN, some parents might find some of the subject matter a little too edgy for their kids. Some would also be quick to compare this movie to the works of Tim Burton and while it does have a Burton-esque sensibility, the eccentric sense of humor at the heart of THE BOXTROLLS actually reminded me more of a Terry Gilliam movie, specifically TIME BANDITS. There’s a father character in THE BOXTROLLS who has a very poor relationship with his own child and that specific plot element is reminiscent of the central thread running through Gilliam’s quirky 80’s masterwork.
At a story level, THE BOXTROLLS isn’t quite as effective as Laika’s earlier efforts. This movie does tend to get a little bit out there, and I would have preferred a little less odd and a little more sweet. Furthermore, I had hoped for more of a connection between lead characters Winnie and Eggs, but Winnie is a tad too abrasive to allow for that connection. Of course, these arguments are simply a matter of personal preference. These same story traits might very well appeal to animation fans looking for something more outside the “box”.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed THE BOXTROLLS. It doesn’t feature one fart joke and that’s got to be some kind of record for a movie about trolls. More importantly though, THE BOXTROLLS is a visual stunner through and through, and the vocal work–featuring Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Elle Fanning, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Nick Frost, and Simon Pegg–is spot on, particularly Kingsley as Snatcher, a sympathetic creeper of an antagonist who is prone to a most peculiar allergic reaction.
Side note; Stick around for a creative behind-the-scenes sequence during the end credits.
