If you’re looking for a unique movie that has you at the edge of your seat, an animated children’s film might not seem like the right pick. With Kubo and the Two Strings, you get much more than you would expect to get from an animated movie. From monsters to magic, you will be at the edge of your seat in anticipation of what will happen next.

Kubo And The Two Strings

In an epic journey across worlds, Kubo goes on a quest to avenge his father’s life and to make sense of the sacrifice his mother made for him. With a beautiful soundtrack and sophisticated visuals, the movie has a romantic and dark edge along with a mysterious quality that leaves the viewer wondering what will happen next.

Kubo Captures Japanese Culture But Misses The Mark With Younger Children

First, this is not a children’s movie. Even though it is a cartoon, it is PG. You will encounter dark, disturbing visuals and adult themes that make it confusing and scary for small children. Although not for the faint of heart, the movie has many redeeming qualities that make it a good watch. Check out this short trailer to learn more.

One of the best parts about the movie was that it shows authentic Japanese culture and art. Origami comes to life, and Samurai warriors battle. My favorite part is when the main character Kubo uses the origami to tell dramatic stories. Check out this clip to see how interesting and unique the plot is.

With universal themes of love, trust, and finding yourself, you can easily enjoy this mythical fantasy. On November 22nd, the Blu Ray was released, and it looks incredible, even on a television.

During the movie, my children weren’t sure what to think of it. I hadn’t checked the rating prior to starting it, and I let them watch it during our movie night, while offering some parental guidance during the scary parts. We had expected a children’s movie since it was an animated film, but within minutes we noticed that it was meant for an older audience.

Older teenagers who enjoy Japanese animation would appreciate Kubo and the Two Strings. With impressive visuals and a well orchestrated soundtrack, the movie would also go over well with an artistic crowd. Film school students who love artsy visuals would love the time and effort the director and his team put into making the movie. Overall, the movie looks incredible, does a good job of capturing Japanese culture, and ends on a positive note.

Bonus Material

When you buy a movie, you get the unique opportunity to view bonus material not available in theaters. Learning how the movie was created made the story line much more child friendly. Even though the monsters in the movie were intimidating when you get into the plot, seeing the parts being put together to make the movie was captivating. My children loved hearing about all the magic that goes into creating a stop-motion film. Since Samantha loves robots, she enjoyed learning about the robotics and 3D printing involved behind the scenes.

My favorite part was seeing the visuals behind the scenes. Picturing the filmmakers putting the movie together was interesting. I also enjoyed hearing about the authentic connection the movie has to the Japanese culture.

Watching the bonus material helped my children make a lot more sense of the entire movie. Frightening monsters were revealed to be made of parts of children’s balloons, plastic, and metal. When you unveil the monsters in the movie, the plot becomes much more inspiring to a younger audience.

Disclosure

I received a free item, but it in no way influenced my opinion!