Review: "Coraline"
Franck Tabouring
Seen on: February 6, 2009
The players: Director: Henry Selick, Writer: Henry Selick, Voice cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, Jennifer Saunders, Keith David, John Hodgman
Facts of interest: Based on the book by Neil Gaiman.
The plot: Coraline is a curious young girl who runs into terrible danger when she discovers a parallel reality in her new home.
Our thoughts: Enter the magical world of “Coraline,” and you won’t be disappointed. Boasting fantastic imagination, wonderful characters and an intriguing story filled with surprises, Henry Selick’s latest stop-motion adventure is a rare big-screen experience you don’t want to miss.
Based on the book by Neil Gaiman, the film introduces us to the curious Coraline (voice by Dakota Fanning), a young girl who discovers a parallel reality when she unlocks a mysterious door in her new home. Little does she know this seemingly enjoyable alternate version of her life is in truth a dangerous trap she must escape before all hope is lost.
And so begins the exciting adventure of “Coraline,” the first stop-motion feature to be shot entirely in 3D. Although the rapid improvement of this cool technique certainly boosts the film’s gorgeous visual look, it’s the beautiful design of the puppets and their environment that really makes it such a memorable event.
Added to the of the flawless work by the entire art department is Neil Gaiman’s captivating story, which Selick adapted with care and passion. Strong, eccentric characters, powerful themes, and a big assortment of creatively entertaining scenes help build a fast-enough plot about a girl who quickly learns that appearances can be misleading.
The great thing about “Coraline” is that it holds enough qualities to amuse both grown-up audiences and children. The film may be a little too dark for the very young ones, but other than that, the great script and Selick’s remarkable vision provide enough original material for anyone who enjoys the beauty of stop-motion flicks.
Bringing puppets to life in this genre requires more work than just creating them on the computer, and another aspect that is of high importance during this process is the voice over. Luckily, “Coraline” hits all the right notes on this one. Fanning knows what she’s doing and gives Coraline her enchanting personality, and so do Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman as her parents.
Freaky quote: “You're not my mother." – Dakota Fanning
The final word: Although the film starts off a little slow and runs for a little too long (100 minutes, to be exact), “Coraline” features plenty of surprises for everyone. The 3D experience may not be the most impressive I’ve seen to date, but the film’s other undeniably magnificent qualities are well worth the price of admission.
Article by Franck Tabouring
Reader Comments (2)
That was the best movie I've ever seen in 3-d! I love it! I can't wait until it comes out for DvD!
Keith David is in everything, from kid movies like this, to horror movies like Chain Letter. Crazy!