Review of ParaNorman (2012) by Elizabeth L — 18 Sep 2016

I had every expectation that I was going to hate ParaNorman. First of all, I hate horror and zombies, so how could I possibly enjoy a movie that is almost entirely centered around those themes? Secondly, while I appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into stop-motion animation, I just don't like the look of it most of the time.

So I started watching, and somehow this film leaped over those hurdles and genuinely charmed me. It totally took me by surprise that within this tale of horror lies a nice little film about the effects of bullying and how one can overcome the damage from being a victim.

The characters were all unexpected and enjoyable. I particularly loved Norman's new-found friend Neil, and Neil's brother Mitch. Those two characters provided most of the big laughs for me. ParaNorman had more than a few funny moments, and continuously subverted my expectations.

There's a surprise right at the beginning, and the film continued to give me little surprises throughout. There was even one particular moment (which I'd rather not spoil) where I was feeling a particular way about a scene and suddenly there is a shift and I realized that maybe I was rooting for the wrong thing all along.

It's this kind of subversive plot that always pleases me, because so often screenwriters will utilize the same old tropes without breaking any new ground. ParaNorman is better than it has any right to be, and it's a movie that I will gladly recommend (although be warned that it's probably for older kids, because these dark themes might be a little scary for your little ones.

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