Coraline
Coraline
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Coraline is a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick, based on Neil Gaiman's novel, which immerses viewers in a visually stunning but progressively unsettling dreamlike world. The story follows an 11-year-old girl who discovers a parallel world that appears magical but is ruled by a malevolent entity called the Other Mother, a manipulative creature whose kind exterior conceals a deeply frightening nature. Sensitive elements are numerous and sustained throughout: a persistently eerie atmosphere, visually disturbing button-eyed characters, trapped ghost children, and intense sequences of psychological pursuit that form the core of the film rather than isolated moments. Parents are advised to accompany children under 10 when watching, as the scenes of tension and psychological horror imagery can cause genuine nightmares in younger viewers, and a post-viewing conversation about manipulation and courage will be very valuable.
Synopsis
Wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.
Difficult scenes
The Other Mother offers Coraline the chance to stay in the Other World forever, on the condition that she allows buttons to be sewn over her eyes. This scene, which is visually explicit in its staging, is one of the most disturbing moments in the film: the image of buttons pressed into the eye sockets of a smiling face is designed to provoke disgust and dread, and may remain vividly imprinted in the imaginations of sensitive children. Coraline encounters three ghost children in the darkness who recount how the Other Mother, known as the Beldam, lured them into her world, sewed buttons over their eyes, and then abandoned them until their souls withered away. These testimonies, delivered in a dark and oppressive atmosphere, introduce themes of death, captivity and emotional abandonment that may be genuinely difficult for young children to process. The gradual transformation of the Other Mother forms a sustained arc of psychological tension throughout the film. Her warm and attentive appearance progressively distorts to reveal an elongated, predatory creature. This metamorphosis unfolds slowly and occupies a significant portion of the narrative, maintaining a prolonged atmosphere of dread that sets this film apart from a straightforward family adventure. The chase sequence in the Other World, in which Coraline attempts to escape the Other Mother who has become a spider-like monster with needle-like fingers, is particularly intense. The creature pursues Coraline through a collapsing and decaying environment, combining imagery of a monstrous body, deadly traps and isolation in the face of danger, which can provoke real anxiety in children under 9 or 10 years old.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2009
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Studios
- LAIKA, Pandemonium
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Coraline is a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick, based on Neil Gaiman's novel, which immerses viewers in a visually stunning but progressively unsettling dreamlike world. The story follows an 11-year-old girl who discovers a parallel world that appears magical but is ruled by a malevolent entity called the Other Mother, a manipulative creature whose kind exterior conceals a deeply frightening nature. Sensitive elements are numerous and sustained throughout: a persistently eerie atmosphere, visually disturbing button-eyed characters, trapped ghost children, and intense sequences of psychological pursuit that form the core of the film rather than isolated moments. Parents are advised to accompany children under 10 when watching, as the scenes of tension and psychological horror imagery can cause genuine nightmares in younger viewers, and a post-viewing conversation about manipulation and courage will be very valuable.
Synopsis
Wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.
Difficult scenes
The Other Mother offers Coraline the chance to stay in the Other World forever, on the condition that she allows buttons to be sewn over her eyes. This scene, which is visually explicit in its staging, is one of the most disturbing moments in the film: the image of buttons pressed into the eye sockets of a smiling face is designed to provoke disgust and dread, and may remain vividly imprinted in the imaginations of sensitive children. Coraline encounters three ghost children in the darkness who recount how the Other Mother, known as the Beldam, lured them into her world, sewed buttons over their eyes, and then abandoned them until their souls withered away. These testimonies, delivered in a dark and oppressive atmosphere, introduce themes of death, captivity and emotional abandonment that may be genuinely difficult for young children to process. The gradual transformation of the Other Mother forms a sustained arc of psychological tension throughout the film. Her warm and attentive appearance progressively distorts to reveal an elongated, predatory creature. This metamorphosis unfolds slowly and occupies a significant portion of the narrative, maintaining a prolonged atmosphere of dread that sets this film apart from a straightforward family adventure. The chase sequence in the Other World, in which Coraline attempts to escape the Other Mother who has become a spider-like monster with needle-like fingers, is particularly intense. The creature pursues Coraline through a collapsing and decaying environment, combining imagery of a monstrous body, deadly traps and isolation in the face of danger, which can provoke real anxiety in children under 9 or 10 years old.