--- title: "ParaNorman: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/paranorman/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/paranorman" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # ParaNorman (2012): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 18 reviews: 13 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics like ParaNorman, and the praise gathers in one place: Laika’s stop-motion animation. Review after review singles out the detail of the hand-built town and the staging of the horror set pieces. Beyond the craft, the reviews warm to the macabre humour, the nods to old horror films and the portrait of a lonely boy who sees ghosts, which several take as the film’s emotional centre. The reservations are almost all about story. The plot, built around a witch’s curse and a town overrun by zombies, is called unfocused, ambling and overcrowded, and more than one critic finds its message about fear preachy. Even admirers concede it drags in places. The spread is wide: The Playlist is close to unreserved in its enthusiasm, while The Hollywood Reporter finds it only fitfully involving and Eye for Film calls it lifeless despite its technical ambition. Empire judges it a step down from Coraline. ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 16 August 2012. The critic finds the film a beautiful-looking, charmingly heartfelt 3-D stop-motion animation about a boy who sees ghosts and zombies. She highlights its assortment of hair-raising frights alongside the emotional core and strong voice performances. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/movies/movie-review-paranorman-about-a-boy-and-zombies-with-elaine-stritch.html) ## Time Out — Cath Clarke Rating 4/5. 11 September 2012. The critic praises the beautifully hand-crafted stop-motion animation and dazzling visuals from Laika, along with the ghoulish humor and brilliant gags, while noting the sophisticated plot involving a witchhunt curse drags a bit at times. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/paranorman-1) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2012. The film is an entertaining if unfocused stop-motion zombie comedy that mixes gross-out horror gags with coming-of-age themes. Newman singles out the ingenious and detailed animation for praise while noting it falls short of Coraline's focused storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/paranorman-review/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2012. The review highlights Laika's prime 3D stop-motion animation in this witty comedy thriller with a worthwhile message, noting impressive staging of horror action and a nicely melancholy mood leavened with dry humour, though it is sometimes thin dramatically. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/paranorman/5044825.article) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating B-. 16 August 2012. ParaNorman boasts smooth stop-motion and visual detail but fails to commit to one tone, resulting in an overcrowded and preachy story. Only the ending horror sequence sticks the landing effectively. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/paranorman-1798173860) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2012. The film is a likable scary story about a lonely boy who sees ghosts and must save his town from zombies and a witch's curse. It offers engaging entertainment with a solidly constructed storyline and hints of Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/sep/13/paranorman-review) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 17 August 2012. ParaNorman is a charming if ambling film with a low-key, sensitively rendered portrait of an awkward child. It offers irreverent humor and some pathos but feels aimless at times. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/08/movie-review-paranorman.html) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2012. ParaNorman is a stop-motion feast for the eyes but less so for the soul. It excels visually but falls short in emotional or thematic depth. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-paranorman-is-a-stop-motion-feast-for-the-eyes-less-for-the-soul-45808/) ## Slant Magazine — Chris Cabin Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 12 August 2012. The film pays lip service to sociological issues and film styles rather than focusing on character or story development. It offers visual delights and a clever message about humanity but chooses easy laughs over depth. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/paranorman/) ## The Times — Kate Muir Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2012. This stop-motion animation from the Coraline studio features a boy who sees ghosts in a witch-hunt town overtaken by zombies. There is plenty for adults to enjoy, including great one-liners, while children will be just the tiniest bit scared. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/paranorman-3d-bc7blb29xfs) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 2012. The film is an amusing but only fitfully involving animated caper about a boy who communicates with the dead. It comes up short on story and character development despite technically assured stop-motion animation. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/paranorman-film-review-355849/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating A. 4 August 2012. The critic calls ParaNorman one of the best films of the year for its visual wonder, emotional depth and assured blend of horror homage with genuine heart and character investment. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-brilliant-animated-movie-paranorman-is-one-of-the-summers-biggest-and-best-surprises-20120804/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating 8.7/10. 16 August 2012. ParaNorman is a sharp, witty comedy with a ton of heart that puts a thoughtful twist on the zombie genre. The critic singles out the clever spin on the misunderstanding between humans and zombies, highlighting the film's message about fearing what we don't understand. [Read the review](https://collider.com/paranorman-review/) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie Rating 4/5. 22 April 2016. The critic praises the macabre humor, visual craft, and emotional ending of ParaNorman, noting its strong individual scenes and homage to classic horror, while finding the supporting characters somewhat bland. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/paranorman-review/) ## HeyUGuys — Joe Cunningham Rating 4/5. 11 September 2012. The critic finds ParaNorman an affectionate and fun introduction to horror for kids, with strong voice work from the supporting cast and a retro vibe that works well in the first act. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/paranorman-review/) ## Digital Spy — Emma Dibdin Rating 4. 13 September 2012. The review highlights the film's visually rich animation and emotional core centered on childhood loneliness, commending the witty characters and poignant resolution despite some plot messiness. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a405299/paranorman-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 August 2012. The film is sweet and freaky fun for kids (and adults) with the right sensibility, delivering chills and thrills without traumatizing. It blends ghoulishness and hilarity in stop-motion animation while working in a moral about how fear causes people to lash out at others. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/paranorman-review-sweet-and-creepy-horror-show-kids-who-arent-too-easily-terrified-52216/) ## Eye for Film — David Graham Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2012. The review praises the technical ambition and stop-motion craft but finds the story convoluted, characters archetypal and the overall film lifeless despite its subject matter. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/paranorman-2012-film-review-by-david-graham) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/paranorman.md