Paranorman Review
A young boy who can see dead people. Wait! Come back! This is the new film from the makers of the wonderful Coraline. An animated feast full of humour, heart and not afraid to push the boundaries of family entertainment.
Yes Norman can see all the ghosts on Earth, and one day is approached by his rather frightening hobo uncle who tells him he has a duty to perform if the town is to remain safe. Yes on an annual date the town unknowingly is threatened by its ghostly past – and Norman is about to realise the full extent of how frightening it’s all about to get.
Every generation has a few films that push the fright barrier for kids and helps them get to the next level of adulthood. Jaws is a premier example. Paranorman is a film that you really need to take the kids to. Even if you deem it a bit too frightening – for this generation of kids Paranorman could well be that film that entertains but also scares the kids. And it isn’t frightened to do so, so the film-makers get extra points for daring to push that level for the younger audiences.
But the film isn’t just a frightfest, it is also a real hoot when it comes to having its tongue dangling through its cheek. The big kids in the audience have nothing to fear when it comes to having their intellect stimulated. A decent time out for the whole family.
Steven Hurst