The Boxtrolls

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2:25

The Boxtrolls

PG

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

09/27/2014

4/5

The antidote to the modern animated movie.

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

09/26/2014

3.5/5

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

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Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

09/26/2014

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.

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

02/28/2023

4/5

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

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

07/18/2022

3.5/4

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.

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Cory Woodroof

Williamson Home Page

02/11/2022

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

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diogo13 T

@Tua_mera Jul 13

A visual feat with a conventional narrative. The Boxtrolls shines thanks to Studio Laika's grotesque yet detailed stop-motion animation. However, the film drags due to a predictable "misunderstood monsters" script and an overly bizarre tone that undermines the characters' charm. It is visually stunning but narratively lackluster.

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Arturo P

@RT69665316 Jun 26

This movie is strange, and I just couldn't connect with either the characters or the world. I dislike when the humor is forced. It's visually beautiful, though.

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Gabe F.

@GreatGabrielFonteles2002 Oct 25

Good and great and amazing

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Madison B

@RT07734533 Oct 23

Can’t say it was horrible I mean Ive seen worse but for Laika studios I feel like this was their least favorable.. I found this movie to be quite bland, & tbh a lil disgusting literally had to like skip a few parts suggest not to watch this while eating.. overall the characters were not memorable mostly one dimensional which is disappointing..regardless I still always will enjoy the stop motion aspect of the film Id say its still worth a watch u might like it..very much an Acquired like

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TROYS S

@RT46347260 08/11/2025

"The Boxtrolls" is a beautiful example of the potential in LAIKA's stop-motion approach, and the images onscreen are tactile and layered.

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Lluvia A

@RT77312457 08/06/2025

The cheese related death was actually f’ed up!

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Anthony Stacchi

Director

Graham Annable

Director

Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Eggs

Elle Fanning

Winnie

Ben Kingsley

Archibald Snatcher

Toni Collette

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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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