I
found the Boxtrolls to be one of my favorite animated movies of this year. It
might even have the potential of making my top 10 animated films of this new
decade, but it’s still too early for that thanks to the powerhouses known as
Disney and Pixar. It felt refreshing to finally watch an animated Claymation based
movie. I am a big fan of this art-style for movies because I feel like it adds
something unique and special because of the dedication and patience needed to
finish a feature film of this scale. I sincerely hope this art-form does not
die off and continues.
Back to the
review, it takes place in a world where humans live in the outside world while
creatures known as Boxtrolls live underground. These Boxtrolls only come out at
night to take random objects they find appealing be it junk or household items.
One night, a man known as Archibald Snatcher tells the mayor of a Boxtroll who
has taken a human child which starts a chain of events as a deal was set in
place between the mayor and Snatcher that ultimately leads to the hunting of
boxtrolls every night until every boxtroll is eliminated in exchange for
membership in the White Hats. These White Hats are a prestigious group of men
who love cheese and eat it at every meeting. That child that the boxtrolls took
soon becomes one of their own as he later becomes the bridge between the upper
human and the underground boxtroll worlds.
The Boxtrolls is
such a heartwarming animated feature that is about these misunderstood
creatures that they happen to call “Boxtrolls” because they look like trolls
who happen to be wearing boxes as clothing.
It was charming and at time gross, but I had a lot of fun watching it. Every
character had a purpose and fit right in the movie where at times the Boxtrolls
appeared to resemble the minions from the Despicable Me franchise. It’s themes
of not trusting a book by its cover works well throughout the film against the
poor Boxtrolls. Ironically, you could not hate the Boxtrolls at all because
they expressed the simplest form of human nature which was innocence. It was
even stated in the movie that they would never hurt anyone or fight back. I
empathized with them while also hating some of the humans of the upper world.
Their greed and arrogance was also a common theme that the creators explored in
a world where cheese determined wealth and social status. Other themes I found
were the importance of a parent or guardian, the value of family as well as
what makes a family, learning to fight for what is right, and taking a stance
for what you believe in.
I absolutely loved
this movie and I’m pretty sure so would a lot of children given that it has
wonderful creatures and a great cast of characters. Besides Snatcher’s severe
allergic reactions to cheese which are the grossest parts of the movie, this is
a delightful movie for all ages to enjoy. I would give this movie a B+/A-. I’m split on this movie because
there are parts where it could appear a bit boring and the plot lingers for a
while especially in the last 30 minutes of the movie. Either way, I recommend
giving the movie a watch with the entire family.
No comments:
Post a Comment