Yes, from the creators of the modern classic, Caroline. But, I'll be honest, I've never seen Caroline. Yes, you're most likely thinking of leaving this site now but let me finish. Image as found on
Yes, I haven's seen Caroline because I'm not a fan of scary movies. Never have been, and if I weren't a movie critic, I might have not seen this one too, but it kept my expectations low. Now, it's about a boy who can see ghosts (Either that or he just left an Insane Asylum) and he's the only one who can stop the spirit of an evil witch from raising the dead. History repeats itself in the most terrifying way as our hero (and movie killing friends) rises from the shadows to save the people. But, who are they saving and who are they fighting. Ok, I kind of made the plot a bit more complex then what they said, but trust me, it's better to think of it this way. Ironically, the characters didn't really grab me in this film. The main character, Norman, may be the best member of the crew. He isn't the greatest character, but you can really feel for him, I like who ever voiced him, and I can see how his gift can seem like a curse sometimes. His friend, Neil, does have some good moments once in a while, but I don't think he really gives much to the story, so he just seems like an idea that's forced into the script. The parents are believable, and the grandmother ghost is pretty good. I don't really care for the sister. Yes, it is part of her character to be a sassy teenage girl, but I don't think it's really accurate, plus she pretty much got on my nerves through the whole movie. Even when being attacked by zombies, she's always whining about her little brother. Just put a sock in it! The bully is like any other dumb bully, and Mitch (Neil's brother) is like a dumb jock. I can't talk about any other characters without spoiling the plot, and speaking of which, is pretty good. Yes, somebody actually tried this year. I like how they put a twist to the classic monster movie and how they took a break in the climax. The comedy, though some may call it mean spirited, is also pretty good. Really, how it's presented is what makes the movie work. It also has some subtle messages, and it really asks who is the monster, the attacking mob or the different creature. The stop animation is kind of impressive. But, then again, it came from one of the best in the business. So, what did I think? Plot - 82/100 It's really good and inventive, though I do wish they told us how Norman got his gift. Characters - 53/100 I didn't care for the side characters, but the main characters and the other characters I didn't mention are really good. Animation - 90/100 One of the best stop animation you'll ever see. Moral - 82/100 Yes, it's a moral that's been stuffed down our throats for a while, but they make it subtle and they added a twist to the moral that makes it feel fresh. But what is it? If you haven't figured it out, that's for you to find out. Overall - 76.75/100 I though it was a good movie. For those who aren't a fan of monster movies, don't worry, this one is different. However, I don't think little children should see this movie by themselves, because there is a lot of language and scary situations, plus I'm pretty sure the parents don't want to miss this. I'm pretty sure Coraline is going to shadow it, but I don't know, maybe some time in the future I can answer that. Though, I don't think you should be going into this movie expecting a full out action movie. Come into it expecting a well thought out story that just happens to have zombies in it. Though I personally prefer Brave over it, I think of this as the better film. Go check it out if you want story over thrills.
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