Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Animation, Adventure, Family
Directed By: Travis Knight
One of the wonderful aspects of all the Laika films is that each one is vastly different from the last, being sure to never be a retread of what came before. Their latest is another giant step in that direction taking us into the world of ancient Japanese mythology. Kubo isn't like most young boys his age, he descends from a magical bloodline that bestows him with great power. When he learns that ancient forces are after him he must set out on a quest to find a mythical suit of armor that will give him the power needed to defeat those who would steal what belongs to him. Meeting some eccentric characters along the way he must find the power within him that is needed to defeat the evil powers that would separate him from those he loves.
After their last feature film, The Boxtrolls, was met with a less than desired reaction from both fans and critics all eyes were on Kubo to bring back their A-list status. The first step was the look, Boxtrolls was a bleaker looking film set in a grimy turn of the century England and it proved to be less than pleasing aesthetically. Kubo takes full advantage of the sheer beauty of ancient Japan and crafts it into one of the studio's best looking films to date. From fantastic character designs to amazing set pieces the film is visually arresting from the opening frames until the last. I often times found myself in wonder and awe at how they managed to get some of these gorgeous shots.
All flash and no substance isn't the answer however and after the great underlying messages of both Coraline and ParaNorman I was looking for something special here. Though the story never gets too complicated it lays the perfect groundwork to drive home another great lesson in the end. I love that these laika films tend to deal with adult themes head on and put them into a context that a much younger audience can digest and learn from. The lesson at the heart of Kubo may seem slightly generic and on the nose but when you see how it all plays out you see it drive that message home in a light you may have not thought about it in.
The studio may have only released four feature films so far but within those you can already see what the key to their success is, a strong main character. Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo are all named after their main character for a reason; they are the vessel within which we are to navigate these fantastical stories. Whereas The Boxtrolls has no strong central character and it is never made clear within who we are to view the events of that movie. We follow Kubo as he becomes the person he was meant to be by discovering what is truly important to him.
Making his directorial debut, Travis Knight, who has been an animator with the studio ever since it was purchased by his father Phil Knight, proves that he isn't just here because daddy has ownership. He does a phenomenal job crafting a magical story of what family truly means and how growing up without the ones you need most can change everything. When I watch stop-motion I tend to examine every shot, mulling over the fact that every single second has to be planned out beforehand. Despite digital this one of the last forms of filmmaking that requires every shot to be as perfect as possible, you can only reshoot so much when you can film just seconds a day.
As is usually the case with this studio, they have brought in a solid cast of high profile names to do voice acting. Unlike with most big studios however, they cast actors that are right for the roles and actually have them voice act. Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, and George Takei all lend their voice talents to the movie, but it's young up and comer Art Parkinson who really brings it all. His work as the title character is what drives the film, as both Dakota Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee did before.
The studio has a solid grasp on the stories they want to tell and how they want to tell them and I respect the heck out of the fact that they refuse to cater to the populace. They are making movies that on the surface have little or no mass appeal, yet once you dig into them you find a story that any person, of any age, gender, or race can find enjoyment in. I hope Kubo is just another in a long line of fantastic films from these guys, I know it will probably be another three years until we see their next but when the quality is consistently at this level that seems like so little to ask.
As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!
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