The Boxtrolls

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2:25

The Boxtrolls

PG

Released Sep 26, 2014

1h 36m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

173 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), an orphan, lives with the Boxtrolls -- a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who inhabit a cavern beneath the city of Cheesebridge. When villainous Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) hatches a plan to get rid of the pretty harmless beings, Eggs decides to go above ground, where he meets and befriends feisty Winnifred (Elle Fanning). Together, Eggs and Winnifred devise a daring plan to save the Boxtrolls from extermination.

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Critics Consensus

While it's far from Laika's best offering, The Boxtrolls is still packed with enough offbeat wit and visual splendor to offer a healthy dose of all-ages entertainment.

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David Ehrlich

Complex

The antidote to the modern animated movie.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 27, 2014

Full Review

David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

This kind of stop-motion animation (wittily demonstrated during the end credits) results in wonderfully detailed characters and action.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 26, 2014

Full Review

Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

There are many more delighted 'Ewwws' than too-easy 'Awws' in this charming, if a tad cynical, feature from the creators of Coraline and ParaNorman.

Sep 26, 2014

Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

This Laika Studios/Shout! Factory collaboration delivers a well-crafted product that exceeds expectations.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 28, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Boxtrolls contains so much charm in its squalor, so much joy in its decrepitude, that the black humor and beautiful animation cannot help but leave an audience delighted.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 18, 2022

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Williamson Home Page

If there's anything The Boxtrolls isn't lacking in, its confidence.

Feb 11, 2022

Full Review

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Daniel W

It's a hilarious yet beautiful and intelligent film for any age

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/25

Full Review

Stephen C

LOL, successful comedy family animation movie in 1 hour and 35 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG for Mild Rude Humor, Action and Some Peril.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/31/25

Full Review

Stephen L

"The Boxtrolls" is a visually inventive stop-motion film that embraces Laika’s signature gothic charm, but its storytelling doesn’t quite match its technical brilliance. The animation is stunning, with intricate character designs and an eerie yet whimsical atmosphere that sets it apart from mainstream animated fare. However, the narrative feels stretched thin, and the humor is hit-or-miss, making it less engaging than Laika’s stronger outings like "Coraline" and "ParaNorman." While it delivers a heartfelt message about acceptance and belonging, "The Boxtrolls" ultimately falls short of being a truly great animated film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

Full Review

Jorge R

Another good flim from Laika!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/09/25

Full Review

Tyler P

Boxtrolls is another hit from Laika that, though it falls short of its predecessors, only does so by a nebulous feeling of knowing I enjoyed the two previous films more, however original style is something we often miss in animation today, and so anything by Laika stands head and shoulders above average animated films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

Full Review

JASON M

Super cute and a amazing movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/24

Full Review

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Anthony Stacchi

Director

Graham Annable

Director

Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Eggs

Elle Fanning

Winnie

Ben Kingsley

Archibald Snatcher

Toni Collette

Lady Portley-Rind

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The Boxtrolls: Trailer 1

2:25

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Synopsis

Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), an orphan, lives with the Boxtrolls -- a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who inhabit a cavern beneath the city of Cheesebridge. When villainous Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) hatches a plan to get rid of the pretty harmless beings, Eggs decides to go above ground, where he meets and befriends feisty Winnifred (Elle Fanning). Together, Eggs and Winnifred devise a daring plan to save the Boxtrolls from extermination.

Director: Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable
Producer: David Bleiman Ichioka, Travis Knight
Screenwriter: Irena Brignull, Adam Pava
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Laika
Rating: PG (Mild Rude Humor|Action|Some Peril)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 26, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.8M
Runtime: 1h 36m

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