The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

The Boxtrolls is a thrilling and imaginative tale for audiences of all ages. The stop-motion animated film is based on the novel by Alan Snow. The story was adapted by Anthony Stacchi and Phil Dale. Fans of classic tales of good versus evil will be thrilled with the adventurous tale of the Boxtrolls.

Produced by David Bleiman Ichioka (The PJs, Bump in the Night) and Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman), The Boxtrolls is an outstanding effort from acclaimed animation studio Laika (Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings). Featuring the voices of stars Elle Fanning, Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Steve Blum, Dee Bradley Baker, Jared Harris, and Nick Frost, The Boxtrolls is essential viewing for all animation enthusiasts.

The Boxtrolls might not look like the heroes of the tale and yet the loving and kind trolls help to raise a young boy, Eggs (Isaac Hempstead Wright). The good-natured trolls received their name for wearing boxes for clothes and live in an underground cavern located beneath the streets. Within the city of Cheesebridge, the Boxtrolls continue to live out their peaceful lives underground while the city is constantly busy.

Yet the idyllic and peaceful lives of these kind creatures is threatened by the evil and diabolical plans of the scheming Snatcher (Ben Kingsley). Now it’s up to Winnie (Elle Fanning) and Eggs to stop Snatcher and his cohorts from destroying the lives of the Boxtrolls. Can the plans of Snatcher be stopped?

The characters add a great deal of charm to the production. Eggs is a wonderful lead hero and when accompanied by Winnie the adventurous stakes of the tale are all the more engaging. These unique characters certainly add to the charms of the filmmaking. The Boxtrolls themselves are fantastically imaginative characters as well – adding to the fun.

The voice cast did a stellar job with The Boxtrolls. Isaac Hempstead Wright is exemplary as Eggs and Elle Fanning is wonderful as Winnie. Yet it is Ben Kingsley who steals the show – and has the most fun with the part. Kingsley may be the perfect casting for the central villain of the tale. The actor hams it up in delightfully absurd ways and the performance certainly is a lot of fun.

The animation is outstanding. Under the art direction of Curt Enderle (Isle of Dogs) and Alice Bird (Kubo and the Two Strings), The Boxtrolls is visually rewarding. The animated production has wonderous and colorful art. The production showcases some of the best efforts from the acclaimed studio Laika.

The background animation is exceptionally fun and creative (especially with regards to the underground world of the Boxtrolls themselves). The zany and colorful aesthetic provides a sometimes haunting, nightmarish, and thrilling art style. Given the laborious time spent on producing stop motion animation, the results are even more impressive. A great stop-motion animated production.

The costumes by Deborah Cook (Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman) add to the charms of the production. Cook is a wonderful costumer and the designs for the stop motion animation are quite impressive. The costumes are perfect accompaniments for the cast of characters. A great job by the gifted costumer.

The score composed by Dario Marianelli (Kubo and the Two Strings, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) is an enjoyable and thrilling component. Marianelli is one of the best composers working in the industry. A talented composer with a knack for multiple genres, The Boxtrolls certainly benefits tenfold from the expertise of Marianelli. The score is adventurous and thrilling (with a nice backdrop for the zany and fascinating characters).

The cinematography by John Ashlee Prat (The Answer, Decrypter) is exceptionally vivid and dynamic. The visual cues enhance the experience. The results are wonderful. Prat provides the film with an outstanding sense of visual finesse. Prat understands how to showcase the world of these unique underground characters: the mysterious and lovable Boxtrolls.

The production design by Michel Breton, August Hall, Paul Lasaine, and Tom McClure is certainly first rate and far above standard designs. The Boxtrolls is a much more imaginative and creative film than some productions. The results are all the better as a result and this would not have been possible without such a great team behind the designs.

The screenplay by Irena Brignull (The Little Prince) and Adam Pava (Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends) is quite the charming and entertaining trip. The script has great dialogue for the cast of characters and certainly provides the film with a solid foundation. The characters are brought to life with vitality and depth.

Directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, The Boxtrolls is a fun and wild animated trip. Stacchi had former experience directing the CG animated film Open Season while Annable was involved with video game productions. The filmmakers collaborated on the film as directors and the results are worthwhile.

The Boxtrolls might not be top-tier Laika but it is a solid and refreshing effort all the same. The Boxtrolls has nary a dull moment and the journey is one that audiences will enjoy going on. Considering the fun story, exceptional animation, and beautiful production merits (including a first-rate score), this is an undeniably charming film and one that feels right at home alongside the other Laika efforts.

The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD from Shout Factory, The Boxtrolls is presented in HEVC / H.265 2160p 4K UHD in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The 4K UHD presentation is exceptional and provides the film with a pristine encode. The 4K HDR encoding is provided in HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The HDR presentation adds a nice sense of depth to the image. When viewed on my reference quality OLED65E6P, the image reproduction is fantastic.

The high dynamic range provides the film with a strikingly vivid image. The contrast between the brightest parts of the image and the deep blacks provides a satisfying HDR presentation. The color reproduction is first-rate and the animation has never looked better than it does on this wonderful release. Detail and clarity “pop” with ease and the crisp images make the experience all the more engaging. A wonderful 4K encode.

The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a boisterous Dolby Atmos surround sound mix. The sound core for the mix is a 24-bit depth Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround sound encode. The lossless audio sounds refreshingly crisp and detailed.

Dialogue sounds exceptionally clear on the 4K UHD release. The score composed by Marianelli is beautifully reproduced. The surrounds are actively engaged throughout the audio presentation.

Listeners equipped with Atmos speakers will appreciate the enhanced soundstage. This is an advantageous element of the 4K UHD format (as many 4K UHD releases come with Atmos presentations, even though the Atmos format works on standard Blu-ray as well).

The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release retains the special features provided on the previously released Special Edition Blu-ray of The Boxtrolls. For more information on the supplemental package, please refer to the review of The Boxtrolls Special Edition Blu-ray from my colleague Brian Orndorf.

The Boxtrolls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Boxtrolls is a charming and entertaining gem. The filmmaking is exquisite and the animators from studio Laika (Kubo and the Two Strings, Coraline) provided some outstanding animation. This is the greatest strength of the film: the animation is marvelous and easy to be enchanted by. The film is entertaining and has some great characters and a fun story. A charming animated film.

The 4K UHD presentation offers an outstanding 2160p UHD encode with a vibrant and colorful HDR grade. The high dynamic range provides a more vibrant and colorful image. The crisp and detailed images make the viewing experience all the more rewarding.

Though audiences with 3D equipped displays may prefer the previously released 3D Blu-ray, the 4K UHD still offers an exceptional and worthwhile alternative viewing option. The 4K UHD release is an easy upgrade for all others. Highly recommended.