THE BOXTROLLS | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"THE BOXTROLLS"
(2014) (voices of Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Ben Kingsley) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Animated Comedy/Adventure: A boy and his mischievous troll friends must contend with a ruthless man and his small team who want to capture and exterminate all of them.

PLOT:

In the town of Cheesebridge, everyone would love to be a so-called "White Hat" and have access to unlimited amounts of cheese. That includes Archibald Snatcher (voice of BEN KINGSLEY), an unscrupulous "Red Hat" who desires that but can't seem to remember that he's highly allergic to that food.

Ten years ago, he saw his opportunity when a child known as the Trubshaw baby was seemingly abducted by creatures known as Boxtrolls -- labeled that for the discarded cardboard boxes they wear like clothes -- taken down into their subterranean lairs and reportedly eaten, with the whereabouts of the father, Herbert Trubshaw (voice of SIMON PEGG), unknown. Snatcher then made a deal with White Hat leader Lord Portley-Rind (voice of JARED HARRIS) that if he could catch and exterminate all of the Boxtrolls, he'd be allowed to join the White Hat ranks.

With the aid of his assistants, Mr. Trout (voice of NICK FROST), Mr. Pickles (voice of RICHARD AYOADE) and Mr. Gristle (voice of TRACY MORGAN), he's been doing just that. And to keep the masses at a fever pitch, Snatcher dresses up in drag as the aging but popular entertainer Madame Frou Frou and puts on performances reenacting the taking of the Trubshaw baby, something that continuously repels but also fascinates Portley-Rind's daughter, Winnie (voice of ELLE FANNING).

Little do any of the villagers understand, however, is that the Boxtrolls aren't vicious child abductors and baby eaters. Instead, they're mischievous creatures that come out at night to collect pieces of trash that fascinate and entertain them. And the Trubshaw baby is alive and well in the form of Eggs (voice of ISAAC HEMPSTEAD-WRIGHT), a 10-year-old human boy who truly believes he's a Boxtroll, even to the point of wearing a cardboard box just like his best Boxtroll friend, Fish (voice of DEE BRADLEY BAKER).

Due to the work of Snatcher and his minions, however, the number of Boxtrolls is dwindling and Eggs wants to do something about that. When he ends up befriending Winnie and learns about being human, that might just be his chance.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: The stop-motion animated look of the film and presence of troll characters might appeal to younger kids.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For action, some peril and mild rude humor.

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