We were invited along to a preview screening of new family movie Paranorman which is out in cinemas today – here’s No 1 Son’s review:
Paranorman isn’t your everyday animated film. It doesn’t feature an all star cast of voice actors, it doesn’t have a traditional, easy-on-the-eyes style. Instead it channels the spirit of old horror movies from the mid 20th century, and has a field day making fun of them.
The plot is simple. A boy, Norman, can see ghosts. No one believes him but his estranged uncle, who tasks him with stopping a witch who raises the dead from their graves once a year unless a ritual is performed. He enlists the unwilling help of others to do so, only to discover that the zombies aren’t quite as evil as the movies would suggest – and that the fear driven mob of the town locals are even worse.
This slight social allegory is where Paranorman draws the line, preferring to opt for slapstick or silly comedy for its laughs. Rather than being an out and out funny film though, it manages to be quite creepy and more than a little scary – enough to make young children (and a few adults) jump out of their seats – as well as touching and heart-warming to be an extremely well rounded, entertaining film. 4 stars (out of 5), probably best suited for ages 8/9 and up.
You can watch the trailer below
