KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS"
(2016) (voices of Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Animated Adventure: With the help of some unlikely characters, a boy must find his late father's suit of armor to contend with evil family spirits that want him to join them.

PLOT:

In ancient Japan, Kubo (voice of ART PARKINSON) is a 12-year-old boy who enjoys entertaining the local villagers by spinning tales of a hero named Hanzo as accompanied by origami figures magically controlled by strumming on his shamisen. When not doing that, he cares for his mother, Kameyo (voice of BRENDA VACCARO), in a mountaintop cave. She also possesses magical powers but slips in and out of lucidity. Her main concern is keeping him safe from her father, the Moon King (voice of RALPH FIENNES), and her equally villainous sisters (both voiced by ROONEY MARA).

They want to bring him over to the dark side and are responsible for Kubo having lost his eye as an infant. When he ends up out after nightfall as his mother warned him never to do, he has an encounter with his aunts, with his mother seemingly giving her life to protect him.

When he comes to, he finds himself far away, accompanied by Monkey (voice of CHARLIZE THERON), a full-sized primate who's come to life out of the small talisman he's always carried around. Her only goal is to keep Kubo safe, and isn't pleased when a large insect man, Beetle (voice of MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY), grabs Kubo and takes him down into his cave. It turns out he's a former samurai who was cursed into his current state, and once served Hanzo who Kubo reveals was actually his father.

With his and Monkey's help, and led by a small origami version of Hanzo, Kubo sets out to find his late father's sword, armor, and helmet, all of which will help him fend him off his evil relatives.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Probably, especially if they're into stop-motion animated films.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For thematic elements, scary images, action and peril.

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