Coraline moves into a new apartment where she finds a locked door in the wall. Behind it she discovers a brick wall, but the second time she tries a passageway appears. She is surprised to find a flat identical to hers and her parents in it, although they call themselves the "Other" parents and have buttons for eyes. Coraline is fascinated, but when she realises that the "Others" are trying to keep her in the alternative world she is determined to escape.
The Book
Coraline was a short but entertaining read. It was creepy and thrilling enough to keep me reading. I love how vivid the story was, so that I could easily picture the setting and characters. The fantasy elements really enhanced the read. Despite that, I still found really meaningful messages about family, love and understanding.
It was easy to dive into and enjoy, and very suitable for all ages. Personally, my favourite character would be the cat - which says a lot because I usually dislike cats.
The Movie
Visually, the animation in the movie was creative and suited the context. It was done really well so that whilst the creepiness was retained, it wasn't overdone to the point where it would scare off children watching it. I particularly loved the garden in the Other World - it was vibrant and stunning - pretty much my favourite scene. There were also some moments that were grotesque, but a particular scene really surprised me. A dance scene, which was in the book, but had really suggestive elements in the movie. It was a little uncomfortable to watch considering this is a children's movie.
Much like any other movie adaptation though, there were a few changes made, although some of which I wasn't too sure why.
Wybie, a boy in the neighbourhood, was added as a companion to Coraline. It wouldn't have bothered me too much if his character didn't alter the storyline or Coraline's role, but it did. Still, it also conveyed the importance of friendships, loyalty and trust. The objects Coraline must find to escape was different as well. It's nothing major, but it still confuses me as to why it was changed. Perhaps to make the movie more simple to understanding, it was done that way?
Coraline's trips to the Other World happens more frequently than in the book, although that's probably to fill in time and also give a better understanding of the alternate universe. I liked that there was a clear difference in terms of colour and set up between the two worlds.
The biggest difference though, which might me based on my personal perception, was Coraline. From what I gathered, in the book she's a child who's neglected by her parents, but she's not snarky or rude to them. In the movie she has an attitude that surprised me. I found Coraline annoying for the first half, being absolutely rude and stubborn. However, she did redeem herself in the end.
In saying that though, I did find the movie enjoyable and it was great to see the setting come to life. I felt that they nailed that in the movie.
Verdict
As much as the movie was visually stimulating and pretty impressive to watch, I like the book that much more. There's something that irks me when a movie changes a bit too much or adds in things that wasn't in the original.
Read it if you have time. Or grab some snacks and settle down for some pretty cool animations.
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