When it came to watching this film I hadn't watched any trailers but once I saw an advert on the side of a bus saying it was made by the same animation team, "Laika" who had made Coraline one my favourite animated films I knew I had to see it. I had also checked review scores for the film and it was doing AMAZING so I went in expecting something good.
When I left the cinema not only had I seen a good film but a great one! Kubo and the two strings is a exceptionally well made film, from the beautiful stop motion animation, to the fun and engaging characters, fantastic voice acting and the rather mature story being told which I feel will appeal more to adults than children.
The film follows the adventure of a young boy named Kubo who along with two companions, Monkey and Beetle go on an epic quest to recover three items of power to help Kubo defeat an enemy from his past. I don't want to go into too many plot details as this film I feel will be better enjoyed if you go in fresh. The film is refreshingly original which is like a breath of fresh air in a year of remakes and sequels.
As I stated earlier Kubo and the two strings has a very emotional and mature plot with some scenes that may even frighten younger viewers. The film deals with alot of mature themes from losing loved ones, to what happens after death, to embracing the imperfections of what makes us human. For anyone who loves animation or just good stories this is a must see and a very strong contender for best animated film of the year!
