I am completely fascinated with stop motion animation. From Jason And The Argonaunts to Shaun The Sheep, the level of artistry and tediousness of the process is simply mind boggling to me. Though I've learned that innovations in technologies such as 3D printing (as well as subtle use of digital effects in many cases) have facilitated even bigger and better stop motion productions, the fact that the art form has remained fundamentally unchanged for so many years is also astonishing. Joining these hallowed ranks is Travis Knight's KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS.
The film begins as a woman desperately flees an unknown terror in a small boat on menacing waters. As the boat crashes ashore, we see that her precious cargo is her infant son Kubo, a darling baby boy despite curiously missing an eye. The story then flashes forward to find Kubo as caretaker for his mother in their makeshift home in a cave in the desolate cliffs by the sea. It seems that injuries Kubo's mom sustained during her earlier flight have rendered her moderately incapacitated, and Kubo is the one whose daily ventures into the nearest village sustain the pair. As a street performer, the child tells wondrous tales of valor with the help of a magical shamisen that conjures ordinary paper in his pack into fully animated origami characters of endless shapes and sizes. As soon as the evening bell tolls though, Kubo is under strict orders from his mother to return to their cave before dark so that the evil forces they escaped won't find them once again. As fate would have it, Kubo eventually disobeys and comes face to face with the spirits his mother warned about, and sets into motion a grand adventure he never imagined even in his wildest stories.
The stop motion animation is absolutely gorgeous. My eye is so used to being fooled these days with digital tricks that I had to constantly remind myself that what I was seeing actually exists in real time and space. From fields of waving wheat to underwater odysseys to a battle with a giant skeleton, Kubo's adventures make for a tantalizing array of visual treats. Furthermore, the general character design is very different than any I've seen before, making the film all the more captivating.
Voicing Kubo, Art Parkinson does a great job conveying the bittersweet emotions of the young boy on a mission. Though the character is no doubt vulnerable, Parkinson's take embues the boy with enough confidence to never make you pity him. As his unlikely cohorts/protectors Monkey and Beetle, Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey (respectively) both accomplish their due diligence as the straight man and the clown. Though Theron pretty much gets to stick with the serious tone she has no doubt mastered, it is a joy to witness McConaughey flex his comedic muscles once again. His bafoonish yet valiant Beetle is the prefect remedy to an otherwise dark story.
Which brings me to...the story. It just didn't work for me. While I enjoyed the idea of the quest for certain artifacts to protect Kubo, I couldn't wrap my head around the motivation of the dark forces pursuing him in the first place. Though there are some explanations and revelations that help further the plot along, I was still left scratching my head and wishing for more significance in the trials and tribulations Kubo conquers. Obviously, I don't want to spoil the ending, but I was once again left shaking my head, wishing for something more. I'm sure much of this could be explained away by calling the story an allegory or simply a magical legend that defies conventional logic, but this wasn't enough for me. My one caveat- my 6 year old son absolutely loved it and wasn't bothered by any of the issues I found, so perhaps I'm over thinking it. I just wish I wasn't left with so many question marks.
Despite these shortcomings, I would still recommend a theatrical viewing based on the incredible animation. A small screen won't do this level of artistry the justice it deserves, and even though the film isn't altogether perfect, it is still a wondrous sight to behold. Be sure to stick around for the credit sequence where you'll get a glimpse of some behind the scenes work in one of the many intricate action sequences. Though KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS didn't hit all the right notes for me, it's still definitely worth checking out.
Rebecca Elliott
Aka Annette Kellerman
