'Kubo and the Two Strings' Exclusive Clip: Eye on the Prize
For their fourth animated feature, the stop-motion geniuses at the production company Laika are trading Coraline’s creepy “Other World” and ParaNorman’s paranormal activity for the high stakes, high-seas adventure of Kubo and the Two Strings. The tale of a boy warrior (voiced by Art Parkinson) making his way across ancient Japan in search of his samurai father’s lost suit of armor, Kubo once again puts the studio’s remarkable craftsmanship on display.
In this exclusive clip from the film (watch it above), Kubo and his traveling companion Monkey (Charlize Theron) are sailing through a storm-tossed sea when the child decides to rescue someone who has fallen overboard. Diving into the deep, murky water, he comes face-to-face with glowing armor — perhaps the very suit he’s been searching for. And he’s going to need it, because keeping a careful eye on that outfit is…a giant eye!
The imagery in this sequence is all the more striking when you remember that Laika makes its movies using handcrafted puppets and sets, rather than computer-generated imagery. That level of artistry has won the studio a passionate following among fans who are thrilled to watch this particular animation style continue to evolve from the days of Gumby and even the early Wallace & Gromit shorts. For some younger viewers, Kubo and the Two Strings won’t just introduce them to a new hero — it will also be a gateway to the realm of stop-motion animation.
Kubo, which also features the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, and Ralph Fiennes, hits theaters on Aug. 19.
Watch an interview with ‘Kubo’ voice stars McConaughey and Theron:
