---
title: "The Boxtrolls: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls"
critics_score: 61
critics_reviews: 24
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Boxtrolls (2014): what the critics said

Critics' score 61 from 24 reviews: 13 positive, 5 mixed, 6 negative.

The reviews lean positive, with praise clustering around Laika’s painstaking stop-motion animation rather than the story. Critics repeatedly admire the detailed underground world, eccentric creature designs and expressive voice performances, and even several detractors acknowledge the care in the craft. Supporters find warmth in the grotesquerie and enough slapstick to entertain children, while the stranger humour and social themes give adults something to follow.

The spread is wide, however, and character development is a recurring weakness even in favourable reviews: the young leads can seem thin beside the creatures and villains. Little White Lies welcomes the social commentary, while Slant Magazine finds the themes shallow and the characters underdeveloped. The harsher reviews describe muddled plotting and a shortage of charm; The Wrap goes further by rejecting the visual design itself. The chief divide is over whether the intricate animation and macabre humour compensate for the familiar, sometimes unwieldy story.

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2014. 

Kermode praises the film as splendidly inventive and deliciously scrungy. He singles out its dazzling visuals and the expressive voice performances, as well as the end-credits celebration of animation’s painstaking craft.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/14/boxtrolls-review-splendidly-inventive-childrens-animation)

## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd

Rating B+. 25 September 2014. 

Dowd finds the film a minor effort for Laika, though still far better than most animated competition. He praises its painstaking stop-motion craft and inventive, richly detailed world, while noting the hero feels underdeveloped.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-makers-of-coraline-return-with-another-morbid-marve-1798181403)

## IndieWire — Greg Ehrbar

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2014. 

The critic finds the film a uniquely entertaining, well-paced animated feature, despite a few plot holes. They single out its visual banquet and brilliant end-title gag for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-the-boxtrolls-123939/)

## Little White Lies — Sophie Monks Kaufman

Rating 4/4/4. 11 September 2014. 

The critic finds the animation delightful and the story unusually rich in social themes. She singles out its intricate, comic stop-motion detail and clever adult-friendly commentary for praise.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-boxtrolls)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2014. 

Ebiri finds the film macabre, magical, and ultimately warm-hearted, despite its familiar allegory. He praises Laika’s outlandish designs and the film’s embrace of the dark, twisted curiosity of childhood.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/09/movie-review-the-boxtrolls.html)

## Empire — William Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 2 July 2013. 

The review finds the film funny, charming, and action-packed. It praises the slapstick and silliness, which should entertain children while adults follow the plot.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/boxtrolls-review/)

## Screen Daily — Mark Adams, chief film critic

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2014. 

The page identifies this as a review of the 2014 film. The paywall hides the critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-boxtrolls/5076844.article)

## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds

Rating 3/5. 

The review finds the film fun and visually appealing. It praises the quirky creatures but says the young leads are somewhat wan.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-po1pue/the-boxtrolls/)

## Time Out — Tom Huddleston

Rating 3/5. 8 September 2014. 

The three-star rating indicates a mixed verdict on this animated adventure. The available description highlights its ooky, spooky tone.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-boxtrolls)

## Total Film — Neil Smith

Rating 3/5. 13 September 2014. 

Smith finds the film meticulously realised but difficult to warm to, criticizing its pleasure in revolting viewers. He praises the imaginative design of the Boxtrolls’ underground cavern and the spectacular walking-incinerator climax.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-boxtrolls-review/)

## Slant Magazine — Chris Cabin

Rating 2/4. 24 September 2014. 

The review finds the film underdeveloped and derivative, despite its generally charming animation. It singles out the villain Snatcher as the most fascinating character, while criticizing the story’s shallow themes and character construction.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-boxtrolls/)

## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2014. 

Sharkey finds the film visually inventive and charming but ultimately weighed down by an unwieldy story. She praises the stop-motion animation and detailed boxtroll designs, while faulting the film for neglecting character development.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-boxtrolls-review-20140926-column.html)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2014. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film stubbornly unappealing, with muddled storytelling, weak humor, and a shortage of heart. He singles out the end-credits sequence and Richard Ayoade and Nick Frost’s performances as highlights.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/boxtrolls-venice-review-729292/)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2014. Festival review. 

Debruge finds the film disappointing, criticizing its unappealing concept and screenplay. He praises the meticulously crafted world and stop-motion visuals, but says they cannot make the setting or characters compelling.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/film/festivals/venice-film-review-the-boxtrolls-1201294795/)

## Collider — Dave Trumbore

Rating A-. 20 January 2015. 

The critic calls it one of the best animated films in recent history and praises the Blu-ray release. He singles out Laika’s detailed, fluid stop-motion animation and entertaining extras.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-boxtrolls-blu-ray-review/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 September 2014. 

Hammond gives the film an enthusiastic verdict and predicts another Oscar nomination for Laika. He especially praises its hand-crafted stop-motion animation, which he says looks beautiful.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2014/09/boxtrolls-review-pete-hammond-deadline-video-840590/)

## HeyUGuys — Jo-Ann Titmarsh

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2014. Festival review. 

Titmarsh finds the film breathtaking, highly entertaining, and an ideal grown-up kids’ movie. She especially praises its dazzling production design and calls its ending one of the best she has seen.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-boxtrolls-review/)

## Paste — Andy Herren

Rating 8.6/10. 22 September 2014. 

Herren finds the film a near-peer to Laika’s earlier work and one of the year’s best animated movies. He especially praises its breathtaking animation and memorable, sympathetic boxtrolls.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/the-boxtrolls)

## Den of Geek — Simon Brew

Rating 4/5. 10 September 2014. 

The critic finds the film special and an easy recommendation, though its straightforward story is less memorable than its visuals. The stop-motion craft and richly realized world are singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-boxtrolls-review-2/)

## The Skinny — Josh Slater-Williams

Rating ★★★★. 19 January 2015. 

The review finds the film charming but somewhat cobbled together from familiar parts. It praises its mix of Roald Dahl, Monty Python, and LucasArts adventure-game influences.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/the-boxtrolls)

## Digital Spy — Simon Reynolds

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2014. 

Reynolds finds the film a wonderfully eccentric and entertaining animation, though its audience may be too narrow for a major box-office success. He praises its gorgeous visual design, madcap Ben Kingsley performance, and lively voice cast, while criticizing the 3D for darkening the artwork without adding value.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a596052/the-boxtrolls-review-eccentric-mix-of-python-dahl-and-tim-burton/)

## Consequence — Dominick Suzanne-Mayer

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2014. 

The critic finds the film an entertaining but slight entry in Laika’s work, criticizing its rushed pace and lack of depth. They praise its inventive, meticulously detailed animation, especially its graceful dance sequence.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2014/09/film-review-the-boxtrolls/)

## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2014. 

The critic finds the film disappointing, saying its intriguing grotesque setting collapses under a muddled plot. He praises the voice performances but complains that the 3-D is pointless and the characters lack charm.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-boxtrolls-2014-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2014. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film a charmless, aimless misfire that is likely to bore parents and disturb young viewers. They single out its unappealing character designs and ugly visuals as major flaws.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/boxtrolls-review-laika-animation-ben-kingsley/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls.md