The Boxtrolls (2014) Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Jared Harris, Toni Collette Movie Review

The Boxtrolls (2014)   3/53/53/53/53/5


The Boxtrolls (2014)

Cheese Trolls

In the city of Cheesebridge lives Archibald Snatcher who is desperate to be awarded one of the elite white hats and so along with his goons have set about eradicating the boxtrolls who he tells everyone are dangerous. The Boxtrolls I hear you ask? These are little creatures who come up from their secret underground dwelling when night falls to rifle through the rubbish and take things back down to make use of. They certainly aren't dangerous and have cared for an orphan by the name of Eggs ever since they found him as a baby. But with the Boxtrolls being captured and their numbers falling Eggs sets about trying to save his friends and makes a new one in the shape of Winnie, an opinionated young girl.

Thinking back to my childhood, something which gets harder the older I get, I remember that pretty much every movie I watched I would enjoy, with the exception of historical costume dramas. It is why I can say with quite some assuredness that if I had watched "The Boxtrolls" when I was a child I would have enjoyed it, maybe even loved it. But sadly that isn't the case now that I am older and whilst there is nothing wrong with "The Boxtrolls" I found it lacking when it came to providing entertainment for all the family. Now before you say, it's a children's movie, what do you expect, I know but whilst some children's movies manage to entertain adults as well "The Boxtrolls" doesn't.

As such "The Boxtrolls" ticks lots of boxes when it comes to children's entertainment from having a despicable villain in Archibald Switcher with his greasy hair and hunched back. He also has bumbling goons a trio of incompetent henchmen who reminded me of the ghostly uncles in "Casper". We have are yet to realise hero in Eggs as well as the new friend he makes in Winnie. But all of this for me feels like it has almost been created by someone who has analysed some classic children's entertainment from over the years and put together all the bits which are known to work.

Look, maybe I am being harsh as "The Boxtrolls" still has everything which will entertain young eyes and that includes the stop motion animation which has a style all of its own. And in fairness each of the characters from Snatcher right down to one of the Boxtrolls has their own personality.

What this all boils down to is that "The Boxtrolls" didn't do a great deal for me and unlike some children's movies I found it offering little in the form of entertainment for grown ups. But for children I am sure it is a lot of fun.


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