Movie review: ParaNorman

Spoiler alert!

Directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, ParaNorman is a fun 3D stop-motion animated film, which showcases its attractive visuals by taking on the difficult task of combining an old-school look with contemporary technology.

The result is a highly spirited (pun intended) film about a boy who can talk to ghosts, with visuals that look as if they were inspired by the cover art for the children’s scary book series Goosebumps. 

ParaNorman’s uniqueness isn’t limited to just the art direction; it is one of those rare children’s films that successfully mesh comedy with horror through an amusing narrative, strong characterisation and also has something on offer for viewers of all ages.

Rarer still is the fact that the film features a character that is openly gay — a first, I believe, for animated films. What is heartening is that it is handled in a manner that doesn’t feel tacky, while at the same time providing a life lesson for its target audience.

The film is about a boy called Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is a bit of a loner because no one believes his claim that he is able to speak to the ghosts in his small town.

Not only is he treated like an outcast by his family, but is also bullied by his peers for his supposed supernatural talents.

He befriends Neil Downe (Tucker Albrizzi), a chubby boy who is also bullied for being overweight, and the two share a charming friendship.

Soon, Norman begins to have cryptic and horrific visions of the town’s past, where he is being chased by the townsfolk for having supernatural abilities.

Later, during a school play, Norman has an even stronger vision which results in catastrophe, and he ends up being punished by his parents for causing a commotion.

Norman is eventually convinced by his deranged uncle, Mr Prenderghast (John Goodman), to take these omens seriously, and from here he begins his quest to try and save his town.

ParaNorman’s creators clearly love the horror genre, and provide us with tons of winks and nods that long-time horror fans will appreciate.

The film’s otherworldly aspects aren’t likely to frighten children however, and I suspect younger viewers will get the same joy out of this film as those who, like me, grew up reading Goosebumps books.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, September 23^rd, 2012.

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