| by Bel | 3.12pm NZ time |
A film that disappointed you the most
I hated the ending of Coraline. SPOILERS AHOY (duhh).
The book, and graphic novel, of Coraline is a great read, if a little scary for younger kids. Neil Gaiman has a knack for children's books which push at the boundaries of what parents are comfortable with.
The film version is pretty good, if you don't mind the strange puppetry style. But what really bugged me was the introduction of Wybie, the boy living next door. He's not in the book at all but is a key player in the film.
Neil Gaiman has responded in interviews by saying that the creation of a completely new character was an essential cinematic device. In the book version, Coraline is alone but the reader has access to her thoughts. They needed somebody for her to speak to in the film to avoid dominating the scenes with voice-over or clunky exposition.
Ok, sure. But sheesh - did they have to also write in a boy-saves-the-day moment in the film's climatic scene??
Coraline, who has managed to think for herself and risk all sorts of dangers throughout the story, is rescued by Wybie at a crucial final moment of the film. I feel that it would have been far more satisfying, and true to Coraline's character, if she had been able to extricate herself. Instead, Wybie's arc is completed by his managing to stop everything from plummeting into disaster when Coraline can't.
MESSAGE: Don't worry, as long as there's a boy around, all will be well!
Sigh.
This was also my first - and only - experience of watching a 3D DVD at home. It was awful. We re-started the film in normal 2D after only a few minutes. Gahhh.
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