Review: Coraline 3D

Those of you kind enough to have been reading when I was reviewing Monsters Vs. Aliens will know I was weary of 3D being as prominent as it seems to be becoming. I don't want to be marvelling at the visual in favour of a good story. Coraline was my first venture into 3D. I have seen it once in 2D as well.

Coraline's a weird story - though what else can you expect from the man who directed The Nightmare Before Christmas? No, it wasn't Tim Burton. You fool! Henrry Sellick is the man in question and the story begs for a director as willing to scare kids rather than just entertain them.

Coraline was originally written as a musical comedy. I'm glad that didn't work out as the creepy, dark nature of the film was something that really made it stand out from most of these moden disney-esque feelgood films. Coraline is an animated feature with quite a bit of substance and bite for a PG. Several of the people I went with on the second viewing remarked on how scared they were at certain points. The other family in the screen with us left before the end. Is this a good thing? I think had Coraline been released 20 years ago, no child would have batted an eyelid. Fairytales are scary! Ever read a proper fairytale for yourself? There's some fucked-up goings on in some of the less concise editions. Ever seen the forest scene in Snow White? It's mental! Coraline is nothing children can't handle and it's an insult to them to suggest otherwise.

Back to the 3D: It really does make a difference. Coraline is the first stop-motion to be filmed in 3D and the technique works perfectly with it. The fact is that Stop-Motion has a more homemade and classy feel to it and to present actual objects as 3D makes it all the more exciting and beautiful. One particular scene in which Coraline travels through her "other" garden is breathtaking. The landscapes shape themselves and everything feels so much more.. real - and, as a result, even creepier once things go tits-up. Without 3D, the film feels a little flatter and when the story slows midway through, there's less to keep your mind from wandering for that brief period.

Another annoyance was Coraline herself. Sure, she's brave but she's also a total bitch. Her initial scenes set her up as overly annoying and her adventures grate before there's any real peril. The best character in the film was by far her Other Father. He's the fun of the film with the only musical number in the film, and some of the best lines. Later on, his luck runs out and tragedy strikes. He was certainly the character I cared most for, despite certain revelations about his existence later on. The Cat also has some good dialogue, but other than that the one-dimensional characters throughout proved to be quite jarring to the film's overall effect.

My advice? See it, it's a wonderful tale if a little rough around the edges. However, it's everything a family fantasy should be. Colourful, occasionally scary and more often than not, fun. If you have no other options, go for 2D but be warned, you haven't seen it until you've donned the glasses.

Rating: ***(2D) ****(3D)
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