Review of Coraline (2009) by Akshay S — 17 Mar 2018

Coraline is a dark fantasy claymation film that was released in 2009. It made a total of 35.6 million at the box office. It follows the story of Coraline, a young girl just moved to a new town. With no friends, and parents who pay no attention to her, she longs for a world where she is loved. After finding a secret door in her home, it transports her to a world where "Everything's better... but it's all a trap." Although it is rated PG, most do not consider it a suitable movie for children. This has caused some controversy over the movie, causing people to dislike it. However, the purpose of this essay is to show that coraline is a well made film because of its unique characters, meaningful theme, and it's animation.

Part of what makes "Coraline" such a good movie is the characters. There are so many unique and interesting characters in this story. Coraline, for example, is far from your everage eleven-year-old girl portrayed in film. Roger Ebert explains in his movie review of the movie that, "She's unpleasant, complains, and has an attitude". It is refreshing to see a contrast from the happy-go-lucky little girl that most films portray. Another great character, frightening as she is, is the Other Mother, also known as the Beldam. Ebert states that, "'Coraline' is disturbing not for gory images but for the story it tells. That's rare in itself: Lots of movies are good at severing limbs, but few at telling tales that can grab us down inside where it's dark and scary." It takes a very well made character to be so terrifying without falling back on the use of gore. A lot of skill is required to create such dimensional and interesting characters, and they are what help bring this story to life.

The theme "Be careful what you wish for" is shown through the startling film, as Coraline soon realises that this "magic world" she wished for is anything but a paradise. Although Coraline's life could be better, she lives in a good home, with all the basic necessities, and her life could certainly be worse. Wishing for this utopian world where everyone worships her is what brought the curse of the Beldham upon her. By the time that she realizes that she wants no part of this sinister world, it is too late, and the Beldham has her in her trap. Not wanting to become one of the Other Mother's "dolls", she makes a deal with her and is able to save herself, her parents, and the lost souls that had been imprisoned. Not only is this film able to show the theme in a striking way, but it is also able to be resolved to give viewers a sense of conclusion.

Anyone who has viewed this film can concede to the fact that "Coraline" has beautiful animation. After 83 weeks of filming, this stop motion claymation film was brought to life. Being the first film of its kind to be offered in 3d, it took a even deeper step to pull viewers into this dark world. Not only is the cinematography aesthetically pleasing to watch, but it helps set the mood of the entire film. Every scene helps bring about the gloomy, uneasiness of the film. Even in scenes where the other world is made up to be a bright, beautiful place, the style and animation make it hard to trust that this place is truly harmless. It is easy to observe all the hard work put into making this film what it truly is - a masterpiece. With years in pre-production and filming, it is difficult to not be in awe at every scene.

On the other hand, some people say that "Coraline" is a bad film because it is scary, and marketed as a children's film. This point of view makes sense because the film is rated PG, and it is quite terrifying at times. However, the official genre of "Coraline"is a fantasy thriller. In the rating it says that there are frightening images. Parents should be well aware of what kind of movie they are having their children watch, and know their child well enough to know whether or not they would be able to handle the content in the film. A. O. Scott explains in his review of the film that, "the cultivation of fright can be one of the great pleasures of youthful moviegoing." Many children enjoy a bit of a scare, so it is unfair to judge a film based on the ignorance of parents.

There are many elements of 'Coraline" that make it such a great movie. The characters are very unique, and make the story interesting. The theme holds a good lesson and is portrayed through the film very well. The animation helps show the mood of this film, and makes it aesthetically pleasing. It is important that we give "Coraline" the credit it deserves, instead of just blindly assuming that it is a bad film. It is important to make decisions for ourselves, and go into anything - movies, classes, etc - with an open mind. Otherwise, you may miss out on something very extraordinary.