If we only knew then what we know now. Being different is a good thing, but to those who do not fit in during the often difficult school years, it can be a curse. Take Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the protagonist in the recently released film ParaNorman. Norman can see and speak with dead people and animals, including his grandmother (Elaine Stritch), who watches horror movies with him. However, his "gift" is not readily accepted by his parents or his self-involved sister, Courtney (Anna Kendrick). To make matters worse, Norman also takes grief from the school bully, Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Feeling alone and rejected, Norman takes refuge in his love of horror related interests and generally rebuffs any attempts by others, including Neil (Tucker Albrizzi), a chubby kid and fellow outsider, who try to befriend him.
However, things are about to change for Norman. The youngster is being followed by his weird Uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman), who needs to pass along a tradition to his nephew before it is too late. Prenderghast, who can also see dead people, knows that his time on Earth is limited, so he must act quickly in order to keep their town safe. In addition to being able to communicate with the dead, Norman also has visions of past events, which enable him to understand the impending doom that the town is potentially faced with when zombies come back to life and a storm begins to brew, courtesy of a witch with a huge chip on her shoulder. Norman is tasked with keeping things under control and dealing with the serious circumstances and, as a result, the townspeople, including his family, begin to see that he possesses a unique gift.
ParaNorman is a love letter to other horror/comedy related fare, including "Scooby-Doo," the comic strip "Lio," zombie films, and the Halloween and Friday the 13th film series. In fact, Norman has the original Halloween theme song as a ring tone on his cell phone, which sets up a hilarious scene that pays homage to John Carpenter's classic 1978 film. Indeed, fans of the horror genre, regardless of age, will want to seek out this film. While ParaNorman is geared towards a younger audience, there are a few scenes that may very well frighten some viewers, especially when the witch makes her appearance, so parents/guardians should keep that in mind. However, the film also delivers important messages to those youngsters, including accepting others, as well as yourself, and celebrating those differences. Another important lesson is forgiving others and not holding on to anger and hurt or trying to "get even."
The voice talents of the aforementioned actors are outstanding, especially Kodi Smit-McPhee, who is sensational in conveying Norman's angst, as well as his determination. In addition, the stop motion animation is beautifully crafted and is combined with 3D technology in some screenings. I attended a 2D screening, so I cannot speak to the difference with the extra dimension. Regardless, I found myself smiling and laughing repeatedly throughout the film, which includes references that older audience members will appreciate more so than their younger counterparts. Of course, the film is supremely entertaining, so it should appeal to a broad audience anyway. The deft direction, by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, keeps the film moving along at a brisk pace, while the screenplay, also by Butler, is intelligent, funny and touches on a few important social issues. The 90 minute run time passes by very quickly and may leave some viewers wanting more. I suppose we can hope for a sequel. How about ParaNorman Activity?
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