The animation may be enthralling, yet "The Boxtrolls" is a disappointing affair. Written by Scott Gentry.

“The Boxtrolls” (PG)

Directed by: Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi.

Starring (voices only): Elle Fannin, Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, Issac Hempstead-Wright, Ben Kingsley, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Jared Harris and Tracey Morgan.

Rated: PG for containing mild violence and threat.

Running time: 96 minutes.

Out in UK cinemas from the 12^th of September, with preview screenings taking place in selected cinemas on September the 6^th and 7^th. 

For the past five years, the stop-motion animation studio named Laika, have been developing dazzling entertainment in the form of Henry Selick’s creepy, yet astonishing “Coraline” (an excellent adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2002 novel) and “Paranorman”, a cleverly scripted take on the horror films of yesteryear. But now in their third feature film, it seems as though the charm and effect of the company’s award-winning style, is beginning to wear off.

Set in a Victorian-esque town named Cheesbridge, and led by the cheddar obsessed mayor, Lord Portley-Rind (a delightful performance by Harris), the thriving town of cheese lovers are apparently plagued by an underground society of charming and mischievous creatures named the Boxtrolls. Threatened with their extermination by the town’s villain, Archibald Snatcher (Kingsley), the cute and cuddly inventors turn to their adopted boy, Eggs (Hempstead-Wright) for help, as the young feral child ventures above the confines of their underground home and teams up with the eccentric Winifred (Fanning), in order to save his dysfunctional family.

There isn’t a single doubt in my mind when I begin to think about the quality of Laika’s flawless animation, but when it comes to their techniques in relation to the writing of each character and the film’s dialogue, it seems that they may have fallen short on this occasion. Written by Irena Brignull and Adam Pava, the film’s screenplay is regrettably weak in regards to its characters and humour, which is unlike these productions. Here, most characters are underwritten, especially the parts played by Morgan, Collette and Pegg, who are placed on the sidelines in order to allow the younger and titular characters to flourish. But, they don’t. In fact, for a film named “The Boxtrolls”, the cardboard-box clad creatures (each are named after the product which previously inhabited the carton) are given small amounts of screen time, appearing for scenes in which 3D effects are needed, or when the creators decide to play on the audience’s heartstrings.

The script is disappointing in many ways, and it’s mainly because this film hasn’t retained the sharp and satirical dialogue which made “Paranorman” work so well. Instead there is little to enjoy in terms of humour, with the exception of visual gags, which don’t always hit the mark. But despite the weak script, each actor manages to bring a vivid style to their character and provide comical performances. In particular, Ayoade and Frost manage to steal nearly every scene in which they appear in; notably a scene taking place within the credits, in which the pair debate with one another about how their very lives may be controlled by large giants, with the camera panning backwards to show a key animator creating a scene. Trust me, it's arguably the funniest scene in the entire film.

Verdict

It may be the weakest film of the Laika collection, yet the company has continued to show its mettle in relation to their skills as animators, rivalling Aardman and others, using their love of horror as an advantage. Yet, a perfect voice cast is lamentably wasted (with the exception of two members) and is deserving of a more sophisticated script. Sadly, it’s a case of style over substance.

5 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film/TV Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.