More psychological terror than jump out at you scares, the tale of Coraline escaping into a parallel world, perfectly mirrored of her own only inhabited by animated dolls, is one of enlightenment and discovery of what love truly means. Be prepared for a methodically and deliberately paced story.
With that said, however, it is very, very good in a very, very different way. Remember folks, this is a story that won the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers it's not all sing-songy like Selick's masterpiece A Nightmare Before Christmas. Life is not about getting it all right now, but instead a slow and steady climb built on love and trust, one whose benefits far outweigh the whirlwind romance that is never truly as it seems. A cautionary tale on being careful what you wish for, our heroine must discover the difference between a world of people neglecting her and that of people doing all they can so that they may give her all she could ever want in the future. This is very much Alice in Wonderland displayed in all its non-Disney possibilities. I'm not saying keep all youngsters away, but do use some discretion on whether your son or daughter can handle the fantastical elements. Well guess what parents? No one is to blame but you.
For a guy like me, those things equal undivided success for a child aged ten, those things equal nightmare filled evenings and parents writing angry letters to Focus Features for subjecting their children to lewd and horrific imagery. Based upon the horror novella by acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, Henry Selick's Coraline is chockfull of heavy material, dark story threads, and bleak possibilities. A PG rating and stop-motion animated aesthetic do not always make a child-friendly adventure. OK America, before you go blindly into an animated film with your young children, why don't you do a little research on what they are about to witness.