ParaNorman

Zombies are a genre that have stood as one of the most iconic creatures. The film that started the whole thing out, was George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," being the start of the films. "Dawn of the Dead" had stepped things up as the first Zombie film in color, and much gore to it. "Shaun of the Dead," while a parody of the genre, still stayed fresh in it's own right. And last, but not least, "Zombieland" stands as the film that perfected it. Now, we take a look at the first animated zombie film, "ParaNorman."
The film tells the story of Norman Babcock, a boy who has the supernatural ability to see ghosts, but no one seems to believe him, except his friend Neil. One day, his uncle comes to warn him that the witch's ghost is about to awaken, and Norman is the only one who can fill in the position that he did. But things go wrong, when he runs out of time, and soon zombies that executed the witch comes back to life, and now Norman will need help to solve the crisis ahead and save the town.
The animation was really astonishing, being the best stop-motion animation I've seen since "Nightmare Before Christmas," and that's saying a lot. I also was really greatful on how it's a strong homage to classic horror films in the passed, all while being its own original story. The zombies were really creative in how they were made, and looks greatfully like a zombie in how it looks. If there was one part that I would say stood out, it would have to be the writing, due to it being very witty and creative. There's so much great humor in the film, that it fits for both adults and kids alike, even if it's sexual humor.

The characters were also established well, because they felt like actual characters, and not just cardboard cutouts of characters. With Norman being the sort of outcast character, but you actually feel sympathy for him. Norman's sister, Courtney, was pretty much what most teenage girls are now today, so it was funny to see this character develop like an actual character. My favorite character out of them would have to be the little chubby kid, Neal, we was a very likable character, and just whenever he was on screen had a funny moment to it. Even his older brother, played by Casey Affleck, was an enjoyment, especially at the end, and is one of the most humorous twists I've ever seen.

Overall, "ParaNorman" should be a great time to watch for horror fans, animation goers, and movie goers alike. If you haven't seen it on the big screen, don't miss your chance to see it on the small screen.


Rating: 10/10

Next Time: Silent Hill: Revelation 3D