Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

5/10

Starring the voice of

Charlize Theron

Art Parkinson

Ralph Fiennes

Directed by Travis Knight

Kubo and the two strings is a movie that was too boring and mysterious for its own good.

I decided to see the movie after catching up on the audience and critic ratings which were high mind you and I expected to be blown away while watching, but I wasn’t.
I guess my problem with the movie is the delay of the revelation of mystery behind everything happening. This delay ran until towards the end, from there my sleepy eyes were awake, but I still was not impressed.

The movie does not start boring though enough visual effects from Kubo when he was playing the banjo will have you captivated at the possibility of the movie. After you have discovered who Kubo’s mother was you will be able to understand why she seems to be off existence during the day and alive during the night.

That aside, the whole mystery made the movie drag for me. The moment all the clues were put together what was supposed to be an awesome climax ended up being a sad and dark demise. The tragic tale that follows this movie was not lifted all through the movie and it remains until the end. The end which I could not understand why the writers decided to choose such an ending was not uplifting and I’m sorry but I’m still a fan of the bad guy gets his after the mountain of destruction he has done.

Kubo and the Two Strings is the forth feature film (Caroline (2009), ParaNorman (2012) and The Boxtrolls (2014)) by stop-motion animation studio Laika.

This 3D stop-motion fantasy action-adventure film follows Laika production method of keeping the production cost at $60 million. Kubo and the Two Strings will be Laika least worldwide grossing film, making only $69 million in the box office, even though it is their highest rated film.

The movie plot is about a young boy named Kubo who lives a quiet, normal life with his mother who only seems to be active at night. Kubo makes money from performing in the small shore side village, but he disobeyed his mother's orders to never stay home after dark and spirits from her past came hunting for Kubo.

His mother shows up to help him and with her last magic as she fought off the spirit she created a monkey guide for him to help him locate a magical suit of armor once worn by his late father, a legendary Samurai warrior. With this armor, he will be able to defend himself from his aunts and grandfather.

Kubo and the Two Strings is seen as a good animation by the standard of others, but I for one did not like it.