Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Boxtrolls Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 1, 2021

Following up their work on the hits “Coraline” and “ParaNorman,” animation studio Laika returns with yet another darkly comic vision in “The Boxtrolls,” an adaptation of the book “Here Be Monsters!” Keeping to studio standards, the picture is a bizarre mix of the broad and the terrifying, handed a distinct English tilt this time around to perfect its dry sense of humor. As with everything Laika works on, “The Boxtrolls” is visually striking and intermittently amusing, but a little of this unusual world goes a long way, with pacing and story issues crippling an otherwise enjoyable romp through cheese worship and creature idiosyncrasies.

In a strange world, the Snatchers, led by Archibald (voiced by Ben Kingsley), spend their days hunting for Boxtrolls, working to clear the land of this supposed menace, known to be responsible for the kidnapping of a young boy a decade ago, terrifying the community. However, the incident has been misunderstood, with the child, named Eggs (Isaac Hempsted-Wright) growing up in harmony with the Boxtrolls, cared for by guardian Fish (Dee Bradley Baker). Dreaming of a day when he can join the ruling White Hat class, overseen by Lord Portley-Rind (Jared Harris), partaking in their decadent cheese sampling, Archibald is nearing the end of his mission, with lackeys Trout (Nick Frost), Pickles (Richard Ayoade), and Gristle (Tracy Morgan) imprisoning the last of the cardboard-clad menace. Realizing what the Upper World thinks of his family, Eggs works with Winnie (Elle Fanning), Lord Portley-Rind’s daughter, to uncover Archibald’s master plan, hoping to share the benevolence of the Boxtrolls before it’s too late.

A blend of Tim Burton and Monty Python, “The Boxtrolls” is a terrifically odd film to watch unfold. It’s more than just exaggerated character designs and pop-up book-style locations, directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi commit to an unsettling wonderland of upper crust types and the stars of the show: little gray goblins that use boxes as clothing, taking their name from whatever graphic is slapped on their cardboard. The differences are emphasized in every way, creating a fascinating divide between worlds that’s a treat to watch, generating distinct images gracefully executed with blissfully artful stop-motion animation. “The Boxtrolls” isn’t exactly a mute-button movie, but the greatest joy of the work is to simply watch it come alive on the screen, with Fish’s quirky behaviors and gibberish language, Lord Portley-Rind’s ruddy cheeks and labyrinthine facial hair, and Archibald’s balding grotesqueries contributing to sublime design achievements.

The screenplay doesn’t offer quite the same punch, struggling to stretch out a fairly thin story to feature-length standards. There’s plenty to pack into the picture, but “The Boxtrolls” is especially fixated on the saga of Archibald, a desperate man working to earn a White Hat, also teasing the town’s men as a Lady Frou-Frou, a sensual musical performer who bewitches with her songs, curves, and blazing red hair. More compelling are the Boxtrolls and their near-silent style of life with Eggs, living a peaceful existence as a team of repairman, working to keep their kingdom in order and play with their adopted human. These scenes are highly amusing and show patience with purely visual storytelling, miles away from Archibald and his chatty manner.

The Boxtrolls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Previously released in 2015, "The Boxtrolls" returns to Blu-ray, with Shout Factory apparently using the same AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for this viewing experience. It's a detailed look at the filmmaking wonders from Laika, offering excellent textures with extreme character designs, delivering fibrous costuming and intentionally revolting skin surfaces and tooth decay. Sets are dimensional, and decoration is sharp, capturing elements of opulence and world-building with the Boxtrolls and their underground kingdom. Colors are exact, with pastel-like hues emerging from lighting sources and clothing, and more metallic elements offer crisp silver. Skintones are comfortably extreme. Delineation is satisfactory.

The Boxtrolls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix works with the two worlds of "The Boxtrolls," preserving the strange language of the subterranean creatures and the sharp English of the human characters. Scoring is distinct, with crisp instrumentation, and operatic additions deliver clear vocals. Surrounds are active, doing well with town atmospherics and community bustle, with some interesting directional effects. Metallic movement and fire bursts also offer circular engagement. Low-end isn't quite as powerful as expected, but machine movement and rolling cheese offers some weight.

The Boxtrolls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (ten pages) contains review blurbs and an essay by Ramin Zahed.

• Commentary features directors Graham Annabel and Anthony Stacci.

• "Inside Laika: Revisiting the Puppets with Laika's Animation Team" (HD) shows off the design and personalities of the characters in "The Boxtrolls." Sections include "Mr. Pickles & Mr. Toad" (1:37), "Lord Portley-Rind" (1:13), "Archibald Snatcher" (1:52), "Winnie" (1:21), "Fish & Shoe" (1:59), and "Eggs" (1:23).

• Feature-Length Storyboards (96:06, HD) supply a look at the initial designs and story flow for "The Boxtrolls," detailed through hand-drawn scenes.

• "Dare to be Square: Behind the Scenes of 'The Boxtrolls'" (HD) is the making-of for the film, broken down into these segments: "Voicing 'The Boxtrolls'" (11:41), "Inside the Box" (5:25), "The Big Cheese: Allergy Snatcher" (4:33), "Deconstructing the Dance" (5:32), and "Think Big: The Mecha Drill" (6:05). These featurettes can be viewed with a Play All function.

• "The Nature of Creation" (2:54, HD) is a look at the natural elements manufactured for "The Boxtrolls," including fire, weeds, and water. Interviewed are directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, VFX supervisor Steve Emerson, lead animator Travis Knight, art director Curt Enderle, and rigging supervisor Ollie Jones.

• "Trolls Right Off the Tongue" (2:47, HD) explores creative contributions from actors Steven Blum and Dee Baker, who supplied the Boxtroll language for the film.

• "Allergic to Easy" (2:58, HD) celebrates the hard work of Laika, who manage to pull off stop-motion miracles with design achievements.

• "Let's Dance" (1:57, HD) is basically a music video, with a cover of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" accompanying footage from the creation of the ball sequence.

• "On the Shoulders of Giants" (2:29, HD) examines the creation of the mecha drill, which, due to its massive size, provided a special technical challenge for the Laika team.

• Still Galleries are split up into "Character Art," "Concept Art," and "Behind the Scenes."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:37, HD) is included.

The Boxtrolls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Boxtrolls" doesn't quite master its sense of humor (a running gag highlighting cheese sampling is an exception), vaulting between subtleties and broad jokes. Laughs are scarce but the movie is amusing, with a terrific voice cast capable of injecting their own take on expositional needs, while Fanning manages to perk up the proceedings with a performance of exasperated defiance, as Winnie has little patience for those who choose to ignore her. The film keeps to a certain wheezy rhythm up to the final act, but the directors don't trust simplicity, conjuring a grand finale that's more about spectacle than character, softening a lasting appreciation of the ensemble and the picture's earlier interest in smaller character beats. "The Boxtrolls" slips out of control, growing exhausting instead of invigorating, forcing the audience to cling to the effort's purely cinematic achievements as the feature itself loses touch with its delightfully macabre, silly ways.