The Boxtrolls
2014 · Directed by Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi
Original language: English
- animation
- comedy
- family
- fantasy
The story
An orphaned boy raised by underground creatures called Boxtrolls comes up from the sewers and out of his box to save his family and the town from the evil exterminator, Archibald Snatcher.
What it’s like
Stop-motion textures you can almost touch: lumpy clay faces, visible fingerprints in the figures, and a palette of mossy greens, mustard yellows and dank sewer browns that turns the grey, cobbled town of Cheesebridge into a storybook with grime in its corners. Its lighting leans into candle glow and lantern warmth, with the gothic, Victorian-tinged architecture lit in amber and the cooler blues of night seeping through gaps in the stonework. The camera moves with a playful, deliberate hand, swooping through crooked alleys and tight tunnels, while the score is busy and whimsical, full of rattling percussion, strings and bouncy orchestral flourishes. Vibe: quirky, cozy and gently eccentric, with a dash of macabre humour that never tips into real dread. Pacing is brisk and bustling, with comic set pieces and a steady stream of silly gags. The emotional register is warm and affectionate, following a lonely boy and a band of misfit creatures slowly forming a family of their own. Intensity is mild: some peril, a villain who is more bumbling than frightening, and cartoonish slapstick rather than gore. Suits family viewing, a rainy afternoon, or a light comfort watch for people who love handmade animation and oddball, big-hearted stories.
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