Directors: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
MPAA Rating: PG
Film Pulse Score: 7.5/10
ParaNorman is the latest 3D stop-motion family film from directors Chris Butler and Sam Fell, with Fell also penning the script. Although this is his directorial debut, he has previously worked in the art department for films like Coralline and Corpse Bride. Coraline was extremely well received when it came out in 2009, and was nominated for an Oscar for best animated film. While technically superior to Coraline, Paranorman doesn’t seem to match it on a storytelling level. That’s not to say this film is bad by any means, it just plays out like a more surface level family film, replacing the subtleties of Coraline with an overt message regarding acceptance and tolerance.
The film focuses on Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a strange boy with the ability to see and talk to the dead. Because of these claims, most of the children at school and even members of his own family write him off as being a weirdo. One day, Norman finds out that a witch is plotting to raise the dead to seek vengeance on the town, and he alone has the ability to stop her.
Along the way, Norman teams up with some unlikely allies including Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who is a bully at his school, his sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick), and his little chubby friend and his older brother (Tucker Albrizzi and Casey Affleck). Most of these characters play stereotypical roles, but it works wonderfully in the film, as nearly all the characters bring their own kind of humor to the table. The film is also set up like a cheesy horror flick, so this structure fits perfectly into the mold.
On a technical level, this film is a marvel to look at. The detail of the small Massachusetts town, the character models, all the movements and animations, everything is top notch. The time and care that went into this film is evident throughout, and I’m sure that this team will get recognized, come awards season. Although this may be more conventional looking than Coraline, it’s still one of the most eye-pleasing films of the summer.
The conventionality of this film on a plot level however, is my one and only gripe. This film stays within it’s comfort zone and doesn’t leave save for a few scenes throughout the film, and if Coraline has taught us anything, it is that it’s possible to make a deep, poetic, and disturbing animated film, while still appealing to children. There are a few gross-out moments in ParaNorman, and there are a few serious moments, but the tone never gets quite as serious as it did in Coraline. Clearly, the filmmakers were trying to make something a little bit more fun and light-hearted, and they did succeed, I just wanted something a bit more substantial to sink my teeth into.
If you have a family, seeing ParaNorman is a no-brainer. If I was twelve again, I would have loved everything about this film, I would have driven my parents insane asking them to take me over and over. As an adult, I still find the film entertaining, funny, and a great achievement in stop motion animation. Just don’t expect this to be anything more than a goofy family flick.
