Coraline is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name and comes to screen courtesy of writer-director Henry Selick, who brought cult sensation, The Nightmare Before Christmas to life. The talented Mr. Selick has always delivered magical results with his animated films, especially when presented without actors, remember Monkeybone? Gaiman's Coraline is best described as a combination of Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The dark, enchanting fairy tale is dreamy, curious and riddled with a crew of eccentric characters. While it’s animated, it certainly doesn’t only cater for the children and some would even say it’s more in line with the Grimm brothers true intentions in its twisted, magical nightmare of imagination. Coraline features a superb acting and relatively inexperienced voice cast including: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Keith David and Ian McShane.
Coraline is a young girl, whose new apartment home is anything but luxurious. Her control freak mother hammers away on her laptop in the kitchen as her father furiously composes content for their gardening guide. The old house is just furnished and Coraline is forced to make her own fun, wandering the territory and curiously investigating every nook and cranny of the old home.
However, when she discovers a secret door, wall-papered over and locked shut - she is unable to resist unlocking the nightmare behind it. Coraline is a compelling tale of childish curiosity, imagination and cures for boredom. Coraline’s escape into a Wonderland is enchanting and filled with the stuff of dreams, and nightmares. Creepy, surreal imagery and vivid storytelling characterise a movie that will entice the child in everyone.
Selick weaves a delicate portrait of childhood innocence, which is counterbalanced by the darkness of adulthood. The two conflicting forces pull at this fairy tale to the point of no return. The characters are imaginative, entertaining and sometimes endearing, while a dead air creepiness fills empty spaces. The 3D visuals harness a greater sense of reality, rather than pandering to the gimmick and obvious. This keeps one suspended in this dreamscape from a child’s perspective and once Coraline opens the secret door, a world of familiar yet unfamiliar akin to Alice’s Wonderland are unleashed.
The dark atmosphere and spindly, disproportionate modeling of characters is reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas, however the musical puppetry makes way for smoother animation. While Coraline is a family film, it would be wise to accompany your children to this feature as it’s full of nightmarish images.
The bottom line: Enchanting.
