Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings is the fourth stop-motion animation film from Laika studios, the other three being Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Box Trolls.  I have yet to see Coraline, but their most recent effort far exceeds either of their last two films.  The story is simple and somewhat predictable, but the characters are fantastically loveable.  The simplicity of the story works well as it allows the viewer to focus on the beauty of the design of the characters and the world in which they live.

Kubo is a young one-eyed storyteller, who spends his days telling stories to the townspeople, using magic to animate origami to show what is happening in his stories.  Each night he races back to the cave he lives in with his mother.  This is where we learn that the great samurai, whose story he was telling the townspeople, was actually his father, and the villainous Moon King of his story was actually his mother’s father.

His mother warned him to never be out at night as the Moon King would find him and come to finish the job and take Kubo’s other eye.  Inevitably Kubo stays out after dark and is immediately found by his evil aunts who try to capture him and return him to their father.  He is saved by his mother, who gives her life and the last of her magic to animate the wooden monkey charm that Kubo kept on him, in hopes that the monkey would protect him.

Kubo is determined to try and defeat the Moon King so he wants to seek out the 3 pieces of mystical armor said to be the only way to defeat him.  The Monkey is hesitant but agrees.  Along the way they are joined by an animated origami samurai and a samurai with amnesia who was cursed to become a beetle-like man.  

This odd bunch travel around facing various monsters and growing closer as a result.  The characters are incredibly endearing and you can’t help but fall in love with all of them.  Things get more harrowing as the film draws to its conclusion, but the conclusion is incredibly satisfying and sweet.  It really should be incredibly corny and sappy, but somehow it doesn’t feel that way.

The design of the film is the true star, but the voice talent involved does an excellent job of bringing life to the characters.  Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, and Ralph Fiennes all help bring the characters to life.  There’s even a small role for George Takei!  It’s an excellent film and exactly the kind of film that children should be watching as it does not sacrifice quality in an attempt to dumb the film down to a child’s level.  Too often Hollywood fails to give children enough credit and this film breaks that trend in a big way.  It’s good enough to be enjoyed by the whole family.  

Rating 9/10