The Boxtrolls (PG): Friends or Foes?

The Boxtrolls (PG) With an apt darkness to both plot and cinematography, this imaginative and somewhat frightening animated tale takes us to the Victorian era village of Cheesebridge where the town’s elders are preoccupied not with affairs of state, but with the consumption of fancy cheeses. All of the important men of Cheesebridge wear extremely tall, distinctive white hats to distinguish them from the commoners.

Also populating Cheesebridge, but on a subterranean level, is a community of trash scavengers called Boxtrolls who terrify the above ground populace with their grubby box attire and peculiar looks. Not human, and with a peculiar language and social mores only they can understand, they come out at night and rid the town of discarded items which they craft into coveted Boxtroll treasures. Scorned and feared by the townspeople, they are in constant danger of capture and, well, worse.

One human lives in the subterranean city among the Boxtrolls and wears a box labeled “Eggs” (voiced by Isaac Hempstead-Wright). Since all Boxtrolls are known by the name on their box, identification becomes quite easy. Watch for Fragile, Shoes, Fish, etc. Only one vocal, above ground human, Winnie (Elle Fanning), bothers to take up the cause of the beleaguered and often abused Boxtrolls.

A local wannabe big shot and evil Boxtroll exterminator Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) is bent on rising to the “white hat” level of society by wiping out the Boxtroll population. Archibald’s character is one of the most peculiar in the film’s vast array of oddballs.

Laika, the animation studio that created the creepy animated features “Coraline” and “ParaNorman,” continues on a macabre path and spares no one from potential nightmare fodder in this latest release. The 3-D format lends realism to the bleak (by design) setting of this Victorian themed fright fest.

Not for the little ones, but a fine treat for the PG set and their parents, “The Boxtrolls” should be a Halloween-time hit. Scary, disgusting, often dreadful, always allegorical, but loads of fun. 3 stars of delight!           http://www.theboxtrolls.com/