Kubo and the Two Strings
Focus Features | Release Date: August 19, 2016
8.1
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 551 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
479
Mixed:
45
Negative:
27
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
6
TVJerryAug 20, 2016
The folks at Laika Studio (ParaNorman, Box Trolls, Coraline) excel in creating atypical animations: Atypical because they use labor-intensive stop-motion and diverge from traditional subject matter. This film tells the story of a youngThe folks at Laika Studio (ParaNorman, Box Trolls, Coraline) excel in creating atypical animations: Atypical because they use labor-intensive stop-motion and diverge from traditional subject matter. This film tells the story of a young Japanese boy with storytelling gifts and magical origami skills. He sets out with his friends Monkey & Beetle to discover his family's secrets. While the animation is lovely, the story moves with a humble pace and dramatic nuance that is often slowed by long scenes of gentle dialogue. There are a few modern-style quips tossed about, but this is not a comedy. There's a sweet appeal and a quiet charm, but it ultimately lacks much emotional punch and visual splendor. Do children enjoy art films? NOTE: Stay thru the credits to see how one of the creatures is animated.… Expand
16 of 23 users found this helpful167
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5
dannytran555Aug 20, 2016
Here what my Review about Kubo

Art : 10/10 Plot: 4/10 Twist: 0/10 Fight scene: 6/10 Visual effect: 8/10 Ending 3/10 (Extremely anti climax) Music 9/10 Climax :Here what my Review about Kubo

Art : 10/10
Plot: 4/10
Twist: 0/10
Fight scene: 6/10
Visual effect: 8/10
Ending 3/10 (Extremely anti climax)
Music 9/10
Climax : Don't count on it
Total Point C+ ( i almost sleep in middle of movie, my sister already sleep )… Expand
15 of 27 users found this helpful1512
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6
TazmilyKoalaSep 21, 2016
Kubo and the Two Strings is a mixed bag of amazing visual and terrible storytelling. The best thing about this movie is no doubt the visuals! It oozes charm, originality, and culture. Stop motion fans will be in awe of this movie's actionKubo and the Two Strings is a mixed bag of amazing visual and terrible storytelling. The best thing about this movie is no doubt the visuals! It oozes charm, originality, and culture. Stop motion fans will be in awe of this movie's action scenes, paper craft at its finest! Also, the voice acting is top notch. Delivery of dialogue is so punctuated yet natural-sounding at the same time. But other than that, there's not much else to like about this movie. Kubo and the Two Strings is based on a folk tale and it really shows! Scenes either go on WAY to long or end WAY to quickly. The plot of this movie is sometimes really predictable and other times stupidly irrational. Also, despite its kiddy looks, Kubo and the Two Strings will scare your kids! It's by no means a horror film with gore and jump scares, but there are some moments that I personally think younger viewers couldn't handle. In conclusion, unless you REALLY want to see something with pretty visuals, then avoid Kubo and the Two Strings. It's by no means terrible, but there's definitely a lot of better options.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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4
ImjusthereAug 27, 2016
While it is very reasonable to say that yes, Kubo is a delight to the eyes. I find it extremely unjust to give it a free pass on every single other point of film making. What about the story? The plot? A characters that has a southern accentWhile it is very reasonable to say that yes, Kubo is a delight to the eyes. I find it extremely unjust to give it a free pass on every single other point of film making. What about the story? The plot? A characters that has a southern accent even though this is Japan? And the ending! All these problems should be taken into account rather than just saying pretty = masterpiece.… Expand
7 of 13 users found this helpful76
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6
DirtyDaveSep 7, 2016
Half the movie looks so beautiful it's amazing what medium it was created in. They are hampered by bad pacing, constant ambiguity, and a plethora of flat falling jokes though. Which is really a shame since the rest of the movie can be quiteHalf the movie looks so beautiful it's amazing what medium it was created in. They are hampered by bad pacing, constant ambiguity, and a plethora of flat falling jokes though. Which is really a shame since the rest of the movie can be quite emotional.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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6
BiasSep 10, 2016
It was a tolerable story. Unfortunately, it felt like a semi-flat American interpretation of Japaneseness. It had a couple redeeming qualities, like the animation was great... and I'm sure there are others too. Your kids will probably love it.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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6
PrazonCyberpunqMar 11, 2017
I remember having goosebumps when i first saw the trailer, the visuals, the sound and the plot (which seemed different) caught my attention but i have to say i was very disappointed with the direction this fascinating story took. The plot isI remember having goosebumps when i first saw the trailer, the visuals, the sound and the plot (which seemed different) caught my attention but i have to say i was very disappointed with the direction this fascinating story took. The plot is good, the love of the parents who wish to save their child from the horror that awaits due to the burden of his lineage...apparently. I can imagine it being a great great story on paper but the forcefully drawn out cliche characters paired with cliche moments and dialogues to fill you with synthetic emotions. "oh! the poor boy" "oh the evil antagonist" "oh the confused antagonist" "oh the confused boy", so it tends to leave the entire audience quite confused on how to feel about the movie, the twists it takes and its characters. The plot twists can be seen from light years away, at least for me it was and i was wondering if it is more than just a "good vs evil" movie, which would have given it so so much depth but the direction managed to make it annoyingly shallow. I would not take anything away from the stop-motion animation as it was always a visual feast in spite of the confusingly portrayed characters. At the beginning it was all heart warming for me seeing the love of son for his mother and vice-versa but as the movie progresses past the 15 minute mark you start to wonder if they are the same characters you thought you knew. Hence, at this point it becomes very clear that the character development is very disappointing, and i use the word "disappointing" because the script deserved so much more than what it got. I believe this was because the creators were torn between making it a kids' movie which they would enjoy and also understand in the simplest form without taking anything away from the interesting plot twists, but it failed to do both. This is a prime example how a great script can be ruined by lack of sincerity and vision and i could not help but feel ecstatic imagining what the same script would have done had it fallen into the hands of someone like Hayao Miyazaki who would know these characters and understand their motivations and enable any kid and child to feel for the in the ways they themselves would not be able to understand how. This just shows how much the western movie makers underestimate their younger audiences. They might as well just give out candies and ice-cream at the end to convince them they had a good time. The morally grey characters are forced to side with either black or white which leaves the audience confused on how to really feel about them. I loved the sound and the visuals but they do not do anything more to compensate for it, which might be asking too much from my side. Regardless the visuals are stunning and sounds soothing but they do not tie well with the overall theme of the movie or the characters. The action sequences are just as dull as the characters and the clashes are pretty basic hand to hand combats all the while trying to convince the audience that they are witnessing a battle of some of the most divine beings of the universe. That pretty much sums up the entire movie for me, everything and everyone seems out of their depth here and i can imagine the sigh the writers much have left with after watching it. Nevertheless, i hope in future, a distant future where we have forgotten about this atrocious attempt to take something so artistic and mold it into something so synthetic just to please the movie audience who are far more sophisticated than they give us credit for. I am also very disappointed to see great reviews for the movie which was not bad, nope, i could not be that heartless but fell extremely short of what it could have been and what it was meant to be.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
TyranianApr 11, 2019
Awesome visually but oh so unfunny and lamely written. Tedious as anything.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
43in2014Oct 13, 2016
Related media: There is no media related to this film

What's it like?: It's a stop-motion film (think Wallace and Gromit and Coraline) but it is much more fluid, as if it was a hand-drawn animation. The story concerns the quest of aRelated media: There is no media related to this film

What's it like?: It's a stop-motion film (think Wallace and Gromit and Coraline) but it is much more fluid, as if it was a hand-drawn animation. The story concerns the quest of a Japanese boy to collect three samurai battle gear and to avenge his father's death.

Pros:
1) The story is about a boy who earns his living by telling stories to the people in his village. The best scene is when the boy tells a story of a great samurai warrior and one of his adventures, and while doing so, sheets of paper in the boy's knapsack fold themselves into origami shapes that move, fly and float around the boy, so as to illustrate the story better.
2) The cover of a George Harrison's song is great.

Cons:
1) The rest of the film, sort of, degenerates into the usual cliches of stories on Japanese Samurai or Japanese culture, or any quest stories, and it didn't innovate much beyond that. The story would still please the much younger people though.
2) There are jumps in the story that seems to be attempts to cover up major plot holes. I was lost in the details and plots of some parts of the film.
3) This Japanese-theme story only had one voice actor of Japanese origin and he is an American citizen (George Takei). Talk about white-washing! I am surprised there hasn't been an uproar on this. Any venture that takes jobs away from struggling actors of non-white origins, regardless of whether it is only voice-acting, is still white-washing!
4) The arch-villain was disappointing.

How would the the different age groups view it?
Children: Excellent
Teens: Good
Young adults: Average
Medium age adults: Good
Old adults: Good

Rating: 3/5 (no half scores). Save your money and catch it on TV.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
phytonixJul 7, 2018
My expectation was a bit high given the reviews. But the story is boring and silly, voice acting was poor, and you have a poorly written story about Japan written and voice-acted by mostly white people. Perhaps the story was okay if you knowMy expectation was a bit high given the reviews. But the story is boring and silly, voice acting was poor, and you have a poorly written story about Japan written and voice-acted by mostly white people. Perhaps the story was okay if you know few things about Japan or Asia, but this is a really weak movie. I did not enjoy it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
bad_advice_guyApr 12, 2021
I really liked the visuals, music, and sound design of the movie. You can tell that the artists that worked in this movie knew their craft and worked to its sheer splendor. However, despite how beautiful I thought this movie was, the storyI really liked the visuals, music, and sound design of the movie. You can tell that the artists that worked in this movie knew their craft and worked to its sheer splendor. However, despite how beautiful I thought this movie was, the story was a bit odd. It was too weirdly paced with plot points being too fast and the characters weren't given their proper spotlight aside from Kubo himself and even then his was rushed. I really wanted to give this movie a higher rating because of how beautiful everything is aside from the story.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
geewahJan 7, 2021
I just don't get the appeal of this movie. While the animation is first rate the telling of the story is dull and for me doesn't captivate either adults or kids.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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