From the nods to Ray Harryhausen and Akira Kurosawa, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is an instant masterpiece that will please all who watch it. Now I know that sounds like a big claim to make, but this movie is a breath of fresh air.
From the opening scene you can see all the hard work that was put into making this movie. Just watching the boat in the water and the waves splashing everywhere is just a sight to see. I was lucky enough to see the movie twice, in 2D and 3D and both times my daughter and I were mesmerized.
The movie tells a tale of a young boy, Kubo, who has an interesting past with his grandfather and is the son of a great warrior. Kubo tells the tale of his father using origami and as the story progresses we learn more about this gift and his family.
The story kind of reminds me of Wizard of Oz with all the memorable characters, but it also has a heart that we really do not get to see in the movies a lot. This movie tells a story about the importance of memories. The importance of remembering and celebrating those around us is a great message in this movie.
Throughout the movie we are meet some memorable characters like Monkey and Beetle. The character design in this movie is fantastic and you tend to forget that this film is a stop-motion film. I loved the way the two sisters looked in the movie and just hearing them sent chills down my spine.
As I mentioned earlier, my daughter loved the movie and I thought she would be scared when the two sisters appeared. I could have not been any more wrong about that. My daughter was not scared by the sisters, but I feel that younger children might be a little afraid by their voices.
Here are our final thoughts:
Kid Friendly – Yes, the movie is for, we would say, children 6 an older.
Violence – Yes, there is some animated fighting, but nothing too violent.
Fandads Rating – 5 out to 5.
Kubo is a great, beautiful and original movie that will become a classic in years to come. I would recommend seeing it in 3D, especially for the underwater scene and final battle.
Kubo and the Two Strings is out in theaters today.
Thanks for reading.
Here’s the official word about Kubo and the two strings.
Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Akihiro (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen – a magical musical instrument – Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.