ParaNorman

Have you ever sat back and noticed how creepy the 2009 animated hit Coraline is? If you haven’t, trust me it’s a bit creepy. Laika, the studio which made the film, returns with ParaNorman, the story of a boy who can see and converse with the dead. Sure, this one is a bit funnier, but it is also creepy and sad at times. Norman is an outcast because of his obsession with zombie movies and the fact that he’s constantly seen speaking to people who aren’t there. While the film uses these moments to make a case for those who may seem a bit strange, it could very easily be a cautionary tale about handling mental illness.

The beginning of the film is almost painful to watch because of its stalled pace and the verbal abuse Norman takes at the hands of his father and the school’s bully, Alvin. It does liven up a bit when the audience learns that Norman isn’t actually crazy and supernatural events begin to take place based around a colonial witch who haunts the town. The loner tale turns to an ensemble adventure when Norman is joined by his whiny sister, his only friend, the friend’s muscle-bound brother and the bully to escape a band of zombies and stop the witch.

A talented cast provides the voices of the characters, which includes some lesser known actors like Kodi Smit-McPhee (Norman) and big names like Casey Affleck (Mitch). To be honest, the lesser known voices are a bit of fresh air now that Hollywood A-listers tend to oversaturate the animated voice acting market. Ultimately, ParaNorman is a blatant attempt at an anti-bullying crusade. It begins with how Norman is treated and continues with his chubby friend, the zombies and ultimately the witch. It’s just too much. Since the film is too creepy for small children and too preachy for adults, there is a bit of a question as to who the audience should be. Maybe schools should screen it for bullies.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.