Coraline - 3D - Review

For my second foray into the revolution that is 3D film I saw Henry Selick's Coraline. A children's fantasy stroy adapted from Neil Gaiman's story, Coraline tells the story of a young girl who moves into a new house with her parents, both of whom are far too distracted with their jobs andc lives to give Coraline the attention she deserves. She finds a passageway through to a parallel universe where she finds her "other" parents who are much more attentive and loving to her.

Its not long before Coraline begins to realise that not everything is as it seems. Selick makes great use of 3D in this way by using the 3D to heighten to otherness of the parallel world. He also very cleverly makes the 3D work for the story and I can't remember being distracted by the technology through the film. At one point I even thought the 3D had stopped because I hadn't seen any for some time.

There are problems, the film is somewhat predictable and the ending has a number of challenges and tasks for our young heroine to overcome which risk falling into repetitiveness but the story manages to navigate these well enough and Selick never once shies away from the darker, scarier aspects of the story which gave me the willies so I can't imagine what some of the younger audience members must have been feeling.

The film itself is rather like a magic trick. It spellbinds instantly and draws you in before whsking you off into a world both parts fascinating and scary. The animation is phenomenal and matches what Selick achieved with both James and Giant Peach and Nightmare Before Christmas (although Coraline will not garner the cult following).

There is also a strong voice cast, which always enhances the experience of animated films, Teri Hatcher provides the voice of Mother, with Dakota Fanning bringing Coraline to life. But it is Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as two aging stage performers who are brilliantly funny whilst coming off as stylishly grostesque caricatures.

As with most childrens films its the magnificent and dazzling imagination which captures to attention and whisks you away as the story unfolds. What I enjoyed most though was that the film was so dark and sinister and for once in a childrens film the villain was scary for adults as well as children. Children's film more often than not underestimate how much children are prepared to stand in terms of horror or scares but most of them will stand for much more than they are given credit for providing the characters prevail against evil.

Further proof that 3D is taking over and a film which actually justifies its use and makes the most of he technology using it to reinforce the story. A dazzling, terrifying but hugely entertaining animation which is as much fun for adults as its meant to be for children.