Coraline: 3D spectacle, 2D story

My wife and I watched Coraline in glorious digital 3D this afternoon. While the visuals are stunning, and nearly worth the ticket price, the story lacks a certain oomph, feeling like a mixture of Alice in Wonderland, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Pan's Labyrinth, and Mirrormask. Which isn't to say it won't entertain the kids--there was scattered applause at the film's conclusion--but that adults might be a teensy bit bored. (Or maybe Wall-E just set the bar too high for me.)

The most thrilling and humorous moment, in fact, came right before the movie started, as the 3D previews began, and one child started screaming with terror as images leaped into his eyeballs. "It's not even scary yet!" his dad complained. I think the tyke eventually quieted and watched the movie.

Update: Some folks are finding this blog by trying to figure out whether it's worth the extra dough to see Coraline in 3D. If money is no object, I'd recommend it, but only if you have naturally good vision or contact lenses. I tried to wear my 3D glasses over regular specs, and ended up with a colossal headache. If the recession has cramped your style, though, or your local theater lacks 3D capability, don't worry; the movie will still be equally enjoyable in 2D.