Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Kubo mesmerizes the people in his village with his magical gift for spinning wild tales with origami. When he accidentally summons an evil spirit seeking vengeance, Kubo is forced to go on a quest to solve the mystery of his fallen samurai father and his mystical weaponry, as well as discover his own magical powers.
Kubo and the Two Strings is a technical marvel in stop-motion animation, featuring some of the most breathtaking and intricate visual craftsmanship ever committed to the medium — enormous set pieces, fluid creature animation, and a painterly aesthetic rooted in Japanese folklore that earns a well-above-average Cinematography score. Its Novelty is equally high: the film is utterly singular in its fusion of origami storytelling, samurai mythology, and Laika's signature handcrafted artistry, creating a voice and tone unlike anything else in animation. The Plot, while emotionally resonant and thematically rich around memory and loss, follows a fairly conventional quest structure that limits it to above-average rather than exceptional. Voice performances are solid and committed but not transformative. The Ending, while emotionally poignant in concept, has been criticized for feeling slightly rushed and somewhat anticlimactic given the buildup, landing just above average rather than truly satisfying.