“Coraline” is rated PG, but it’s more deserving of a PG-13 rating.
Many viewers of the movie could easily confuse the film with a Parents Strongly Cautioned rating with its spooky plot, slick references and nudity.
Before becoming a movie, “Coraline” was a book classified as a fantasy and horror novel by Neil Gaiman in 2002.
Director of the cult-classic “Nightmare Before Christmas,” Henry Selick took over the production of “Coraline.”
To get a good understanding of “Coraline,” think “Alice In Wonderland” meets Goth or “Nightmare Before Christmas” without the Disney happiness.
The main character, voiced by child star Dakota Fanning, does not dress-up in dark clothes and paints her fingernails black; but the atmosphere of the movie is dark.
The movie is about a girl named Coraline, who moves into a new house with her workaholic parents.
After being ignored constantly by her folks, curious Coraline discovers a small door that leads to an alternate world filled with everything her heart desires including a new set of parents that actually show her attention.
She soon realizes the wicked truth about the alternate world.
The movie’s visuals are dazzling with the stop-motion animation, but the atmosphere is dark and gloomy, no matter what world Coraline is in.
Honestly, it’s hard to recall a sunny day in the movie.
It was always rain or snow or just night.
This could turn away some young moviegoers who typically enjoy bright colors and happy moments.
“Coraline” almost seemed like an animated dumbed-down version of “Pan’s Labyrinth,” only because “Pan’s Labyrinth’s” main character was a child in a rated R movie.
Because of its murky atmosphere, “Coraline'” has an edge that separates it from Disney’s, “Nightmare Before Christmas.”
But one thing many people enjoyed about “Nightmare Before Christmas” was the character development.
“Coraline” lacks the great character personality.
The two old women that Coraline befriends are interesting characters, but neither can replace Oogie Boogie.
The parents in the normal world lack personality all together and could seemingly care less if Coraline stayed in the alternate world or not.
Despite some scary images and suggestive themes, what sent me over the top about Coraline’s rating was when one of the old ladies, the heavier one at that, revealed her nude body.
Knowing this is animation, nudity is nudity and it was full frontal with nothing but pasties.
Not exactly an image for the whole family.
All and all, “Coraline” is a great fantasy movie that offers a little more zest than your average animated movie.
It’s for children and adults.
While children might get a kick out of the softer jokes, adults will catch the hard ones.