Review: Coraline

Coraline is a movie that I have waited years to see. I read the book back in college and I couldn’t wait to see it when it was finally brought to the big screen. Based on the young adult novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman (one of my favorite authors) and brought to the screen by Nightmare Before Christmas’s director Henry Selick, Coraline is a fantasy adventure story that has an appeal for an audience of all ages.

The story opens as 11-year-old Coraline Jones moves into a pretty pink house on a hill with her workaholic parents. Coraline, not Caroline, has one big problem. She’s bored. Her parents ignore her, her neighbors are weird, and the house is full of old leaky windows, boring pictures, and unexciting doors. That is, unexciting except for one. A strange, small, old door has been locked and papered over. Why? What’s behind it? Naturally Coraline must know.

Much to her disappointment, her mother unlocks the door with the big, old key only to reveal a wall of bricks. There’s nothing else there. Or is there?

After night falls Coraline discovers that behind that door lives her Other parents and they don’t ignore her. The old actresses who live downstairs, Miss Spink and Miss Forcible are much more interesting, and Mr. Bobinsky, the man in the attic, has an Amazing Mouse Circus. And best of all, Coraline’s one friend Wybie doesn’t talk. It’s all wonderful, as long as you ignore the ghost children in the closet and the fact that everyone in this Other world has buttons for eyes.

The story of Coraline can be seen a number of different ways. An adventure story for the kids, for that door actually does lead somewhere and that somewhere is a fantastical Other world. Or a horror story for adults; that Other world is a creation of the Other Mother, a monster who feeds on the souls of children. Or for many, it’s stands somewhere in between, bringing forth a medley of emotions including fear, wonder, longing, and excitement.

And Coraline is exciting. From the story to its technical achievements, Henry Selick gives us a film that does not disappoint. Visually it’s stunning, the animation that I’m sure looks great in 2-D looks incredible in 3-D. 3-D is really the way to see this movie. Laika Entertainment has really outdone itself here. The thing about the 3-D in Coraline is not how things jump out at you, it’s not about the gimmick, it’s how the images fall away. The 3-D enhances the film. This world has a real depth and Coraline is the best example I’ve seen so far of the potential of the 3-D technology.

Don’t worry if you’ve missed the 3-D though, Coraline is still worth seeing. Beyond that, the stop-motion animation is still superb. It’s colorful and vibrant. The character’s all look as one might imagine they would while reading the book. It’s clever as well. One of my favorite bits is how, in the Other Mother’s world, the animators reveal that a theater Coraline enters is filled not with people but with little dogs. As Coraline follows the usher, also a dog, to her seat, the camera shows us the back of the chairs. And sticking out between them are dozens of little wagging tails. It’s adorable and the film is filled with many similar moments, just as striking.

The important thing about this film and all of these elements is how they come together to not just give us a faithful adaptation but also a great movie. Sure, there are plenty of changes from Neil Gaiman’s book. For one thing, Coraline’s friend Wybie did not exist in the book. However, by adding him to the movie Selick gives someone for Coraline to play off of. He helps to not only move the plot along but also to develop her character. Where in a novel you can read paragraphs of a character’s inner monologue, you can’t do that in a film. So a character like Wybie is introduced to serve the same function. And he’s a cute character! Honestly I think my only complaint on the adaptation is that the Cat didn’t have more dialogue. He really has all of the best lines in the book. Oh well, I guess we can’t have everything!

A question that a lot of parents seem to have is “Is this movie too scary for my kids?” I think the answer is that it depends on your kids. It wouldn’t have been too scary for me but by the time I was Coraline’s age X-Files was all ready my favorite show. It is rated PG and I think it’s definitely one of those movies where a little judgment on the part of parents is needed. If your kid doesn’t like scary things, don’t take them to see it. The Other Mother is a monster and she can be scary. If your kid can deal with stories of the boogeyman, you’re probably okay. If you’re not sure, there’s a book out there that’s a quick and easy read. Give Neil Gaiman’s novel a chance; it will give you a good idea of how scary the movie is going to be. They’re both on about the same level.

Of course, I say use your judgment in a world where parents take their kids to see Watchmen. If you’re going to take them to that, please, reconsider and give them something a little more age appropriate. Coraline is still in theaters after all.

I really am very pleased by this film. Until I watched it (twice) I was still ambivalent about the idea of 3-D movies. Now I’m very excited. Henry Selick and Laika have done an excellent job in bringing Neil Gaiman’s fabulous story to life. It’s great film that’s definitely worth seeing, at least once.

Coraline features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning as Coraline Jones, Teri Hatcher as Mother/Other Mother, John Hodgman as Father/Other Father, Robert Bailey Jr. as Wybie, and Keith David as Cat.