Coraline - Brilliantly creepy

First of all I will start by saying that I absolutely loved ‘Coraline.’ It has a fantastic look and feel to it and, despite being (amazingly crafted) ‘stop motion’ puppets, contains more depth and storytelling than many ‘live action’ films.  And, if you’re in the UK at least, you’ll see that it has a PG (parental guidance) certificate.  That translates to most people that it’s suitable for kids.  Or is it?

The answer is of course ‘yes,’ otherwise it wouldn’t have got that rating.  However, it’s worth noting that the general ‘themes’ are pretty dark in this movie, meaning that parents who have children who aren’t really into anything too heavy may want to research this film a little deeper before deciding on whether their children should watch it or not.

Many people have – pretty rightly – said that it’s like something directed by (typically Gothic) Tim Burton and seeing as Coraline also utilises puppets compares it to ‘A Nightmare Before Christmas.’ The two certainly do share a lot of similar traits, namely the dark creepy atmosphere and pretty frightening overall feel.

In Coraline, the titular character is a young eleven year old girl who moves to an old (spooky!) house in the middle of nowhere with her parents.  Now, although her mum and dad aren’t the worst people in the world, they’re pretty busy with their jobs (aren’t we all?) and don’t always have as much time for their daughter as they would probably like.  This, in turn, leaves Coraline to her own devices.  And, while exploring her new home, she comes across a door to another world – one where everything is the same, only better.  She has a perfect house, populated by different (i.e. perfect) versions of her parents who love and dote on her.  Or do they?

Naturally, as the story progresses Coraline discovers the old saying ‘Better the devil you know,’ because things in this ‘other world’ are certainly not all they seem (and I’m not just talking about the fact that everyone there has buttons for their eyes!).

I won’t do into too much detail regarding the plot, as I wouldn’t want to spoil it.  I will only say that the look and feel of the film is perfect, as is the acting and storytelling, making it pretty much as perfect as it can get.  Also, just because the film is rated a PG, don’t think that adults won’t enjoy it.  I often wonder whether if you were to remake Coraline with real actors as opposed to puppets, it might actually get a 15 or 18 rating, as the story would end up being something more like ‘The Ring, The Grudge,’ or ‘Dark Water’ in its theme and tone.

So, if you like your horror films, don’t write this one off as just another ‘kids’ movie’ – it’s so much more.  But, as I said to begin with, if you’re thinking of watching it with very little children, check what’s in store for them before you let them watch it.  This may be stop motion, but it’s nothing like anything the much-loved Aardman studios have ever done!

9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather