👻 ParaNorman (2012) Review

“The Boy Who Saw Dead People”


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🎥 Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?

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📖 Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a boy with a strange gift: he can see and talk to ghosts. That sounds cool, but in his small town, it makes him a complete outcast. Kids bully him, his family doesn’t believe him, and he’s stuck living with a reputation for being “the weird kid.”

But Norman’s town has a dark history — a centuries-old witch’s curse threatens to unleash the dead upon the living. When the curse finally stirs, Norman is the only one who can stop it. To do so, he has to embrace his ability, face terrifying zombies, and uncover the real truth behind the curse.


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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Character Rundown

Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee): The misunderstood kid who talks to ghosts. Awkward, shy, but genuinely good-hearted.

Neil (Tucker Albrizzi): Norman’s one true friend — overweight, bullied, but relentlessly cheerful and loyal. Honestly steals every scene.

Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse): The local bully who ironically ends up tagging along. He’s equal parts annoying and funny.

Courtney (Anna Kendrick): Norman’s shallow older sister, obsessed with popularity but forced into the adventure.

Mitch (Casey Affleck): The dim-witted jock who’s both hilarious and surprisingly endearing.

The Ghosts & Zombies: The town’s past literally comes to life. The designs are creepy yet inventive, with a mix of spooky and comedic.



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⏱️ Pacing / Episode Flow

The film kicks off quickly by establishing Norman’s ghostly powers and social isolation. The middle act stretches a bit when Norman and the gang are bickering, but the energy picks up once the zombies rise. By the climax, the film hits emotional and visual highs that rank among Laika’s best work.


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✅ Pros

Gorgeous stop-motion animation that still holds up. The textures, lighting, and character designs are stunning.

A surprisingly heartfelt story about bullying, understanding, and the dangers of mob mentality.

A genuinely creepy tone at times — the witch’s ghost, the zombie designs, and the storm sequences could spook even adults.

Fantastic humor that balances the scares — Neil and Mitch especially are scene-stealers.

Bold representation: Mitch is revealed at the end to be openly gay, making him one of the first LGBTQ+ characters in a mainstream kids’ film.



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❌ Cons

The middle section drags with a lot of repetitive bickering between the kids.

The marketing leaned heavily into comedy, but younger kids might’ve found the actual film too scary.

Some side characters (like Courtney) start off as one-note clichés, even if they do improve later.



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💀 Scariest Moments

ParaNorman might be aimed at kids, but it doesn’t hold back on the scares:

The opening zombie chase: When the dead rise from their graves, the animation style makes their movements jerky and unsettling. They’re designed to look like decayed corpses rather than cartoony monsters.

The forest sequence: The gang running through foggy woods while being stalked by zombies feels like something out of a full-fledged horror movie.

Agatha’s wrath: The storm scenes where the sky twists with her ghostly face are visually stunning but nightmarish, especially when her voice booms across the town.

The dreamlike climax: Norman being pulled into a fiery, surreal realm where Agatha manifests her rage is both beautiful and terrifying.
These moments push the limits of what kids’ horror can be — it’s creepy without ever tipping into gore.



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💭 Final Thoughts

ParaNorman is a criminally underrated animated horror-comedy. It’s not just a spooky kids’ flick — it’s a layered story about fear, empathy, and breaking cycles of hatred. While it can drag in places, the visuals, humor, and emotional punch make it one of Laika’s strongest films.


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⭐ Rating

8/10 – Creepy, funny, and heartfelt. A perfect spooky-season watch that deserves more love.


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⚠️ Spoiler Warning

Massive spoilers below — if you don’t want to know how Norman takes on zombies and witches, stop here!


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🪦 Spoilers

The town’s big secret? The so-called “witch” wasn’t some evil hag but a little girl named Agatha (voiced by Jodelle Ferland), who, like Norman, could see the dead. Centuries ago, the townspeople feared her abilities and sentenced her to death. Her rage cursed the town, bringing zombies back to life.

In the climax, Norman confronts Agatha in a surreal, fiery dreamscape. Instead of fighting her with violence, he reaches her with compassion. He shares his own experiences of being bullied and misunderstood, showing her she’s not alone. This empathy breaks the cycle, letting her spirit — and the cursed townspeople — finally rest.

It’s not just a ghost story — it’s about confronting fear with understanding rather than hate. And that makes it way more powerful than your average kids’ horror flick.