A movie review: Kubo and the Two Strings

“If you must blink, do it now.”

Have you seen a movie called Kubo and the Two Strings? If you answer this question with a “no”, then go see it now! And if you decide to watch this movie, then make sure you take the advice above; blink before the movie starts, because once this stunning film starts to unfold on the silver screen, you will not want to miss a single frame of it.

Kubo and the Two Strings, is a stop-motion, fantasy action film produced by Laika. This beautiful, hand-crafted movie won numerous praises from both audiences and critics alike, scoring 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 84% on Metacritic. But sadly, not many people are aware of this movie (probably due to poor marketing?), and it is not getting the attention it deserves at the box office.

Synopsis:

In a small, seashore village of Japan lived an one-eyed boy and his mother. The boy, named Kubo, made a modest living out of basking with his shamisen and telling stories of wonder and adventure, at the village's market.

Kubo's quiet life turned upside down, when he summoned, accidently, a terrible foe from the past. Now, gods and monsters seek to exact vengeance upon Kubo, chasing him to the end of the earth. Kubo does not understand what fuels his foe's bloodthirsty vendetta, only that it has something to do with his remaining eye. Outmatched by such a powerful nemesis, Kubo's only hope, is to find a suit of magical armor once belonged to his father, who was the greatest Samurai warrior in Japan.

My thoughts about this movie:

Lavished in storytelling and bursting to life with stunning pictures, Kubo and the Two Strings is entering my list for favorite animated movies of all time!

Kubo and the Two Strings opened its terrific story with a breathtaking scene. From there, this movie enchanted me with its striking images and a very memorable story. This movie's cinematography, lit the silver screen with beautiful lighting and rich coloring, while ear-pleasing soundtracks accompanied the telling of a timeless story. The result? This film fully captured the mythical atmosphere of medieval Japan, and brought Kubo's world vividly to life. After the movie I discovered, that Laika hand-crafted Kubo and the Two Strings. Yes, hand-crafted! The production team built puppets, models of buildings, and every other objects in this movie. Then they meticulously moved the objects, by hand, shot the individual frame painstakingly, and finally combined every frame together to make a 90 minutes long movie. This revelation shocked me, the first time I set my eyes on this film, I thought Kubo and the Two Strings was rendered by CGI. Never in a million years had I guessed that such a beautiful movie was hand-crafted by a team of very dedicated, passionate artists.

In a day and age where most Hollywood studios are busy pumping out waves of sequels for superhero movies, Kubo and the Two Strings is really standing out as a rare gem. Why? This movie actually tells an original story! This is a movie that paces itself  and tells its story properly. And it narrates such a moving tale that is also a powerful metaphor. Kubo and the Two Strings may be a melancholic story. After the movie, you may leave the cinema with an aftertaste of bitter and sweet, where the corner of your eye glistens with a small drop of moist. Yet, you will remember this story, because Kubo's tale is ultimately a beautiful metaphor about mortality and grief. That is why, a week has passed since I left the cinema, but Kubo's story still lingers on my mind. It is an unforgettable journey. A sad, but beautiful tale. And I believe people of all ages can find something they can take away after seeing this film.

Having heaped praises on this movie, I must say Kubo and the Two Strings is not without its flaws. If there is one thing I must criticize about this masterpiece, then it is its humor. This movie attempted some humorous reliefs through its dialogues. Perhaps, the occasional humor was for balancing against the melancholy at the vein of Kubo's story. However, I thought the humor didn't execute well in this movie, and the jokes just didn't hit the funny tone. Instead of tickling your funny bone, the humors in this movie often came across cliched and off beat. Fortunately, only a few humorous reliefs are in this movie, so it is not a big deal.

Laika produced a masterpiece. Kubo and the Two Strings is simply, one of the best movies this genre has to offer in recent years. This movie really is a labor of love! It is a complete mystery why, this beautifully crafted film, is failing to pull a large audience. I hope this movie will perform well at the box office, so this studio and its talented artists can make more movies of quality this high. I strongly recommend Kubo and the Two Strings. Should you decide to watch this movie, then I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

P.S.

Kubo and the Two Strings is rated PG. So is this movie suitable for children? Personally, I think this movie may be too much to handle for a child under the age of 10. How? Without loitering into the spoiler territory, let me just say two characters from this movie looked very spooky. Furthermore, as I have mentioned earlier, Kubo's story is melancholy. I think certain moments in the story could upset little children. For the older kids, however, the main theme behind Kubo's story, about one's mortality, may have some educational benefit.