The Boxtrolls

Play trailer

2:25

The Boxtrolls

PG

2014

1h 36m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

Animation

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

David Ehrlich

Complex

09/27/2014

4/5

The antidote to the modern animated movie.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

02/28/2023

4/5

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

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Williamson Home Page

02/11/2022

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

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

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.

See more

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.

See more

Gabe F.

@GreatGabrielFonteles2002 Oct 25

Good and great and amazing

See more

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

See more

TROYS S

@RT46347260 Aug 11

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

See more

Lluvia A

@RT77312457 08/06/2025

The cheese related death was actually f’ed up!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Anthony Stacchi

Director

Graham Annable

Director

Isaac Hempstead-Wright

Eggs

Elle Fanning

Winnie

Ben Kingsley

Archibald Snatcher

Toni Collette

Lady Portley-Rind

How to Train Your Dragon 2

92%

90%

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Watchlist

TRAILER

for How to Train Your Dragon 2

ParaNorman

89%

73%

ParaNorman

Watchlist

Smurfs: The Lost Village

41%

54%

Smurfs: The Lost Village

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Smurfs: The Lost Village

Shrek Forever After

58%

54%

Shrek Forever After

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Shrek Forever After

A Town Called Panic

81%

86%

A Town Called Panic

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Town Called Panic

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Animated History of Stop Motion Movies

Parental Guidance: Strange Magic, Plus The Boxtrolls on DVD

Conversations With 2015 Oscar Nominees

The Boxtrolls: Trailer 1

2:25

View more videos

View more photos

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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings