Paranorman

Speculating on the list of influences for Paranorman might include mention of everything from Tim Burton to The Goonies to Tales from the Crypt.

Yet it’s not easy to pigeonhole this family-friendly 3D animated feature that both contains an appealing hero for kids and provides a nostalgic kick for adults.

The film mixes comedic and horror elements in its story of Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), a teenage outcast in a suburban town who claims he can speak with the dead. That makes him the perfect person to call upon when his deceased uncle (John Goodman) tells him about a centuries-old curse threatens the town amid a series of zombies and ghosts who turn out to be real.

Ignoring the advice of his parents, Norman enlists the help of his ragtag friends — including pudgy sidekick Neil (Tucker Albrizzi) — in the hopes of saving the day.

Paranorman comes from the same production company that made Coraline, which shares some thematic similarities even if the former is less edgy and more mainstream. Visually, the film is a reflection of the technological advances in stop-motion animation, with exaggerated bodies and facial features on its characters and impressive background detail in its miniature sets.

Norman makes an appealing protagonist with which children might identify. He’s bullied and misunderstood but retains his self-esteem among his friends. The voice cast is solid, including Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in supporting roles.

The script by Chris Butler, who co-directed the film with stop-motion veteran Sam Fell (Flushed Away), aims to be clever and subversive and winds up with its share of modest charms. In its effort to satirize cheesy 1980s horror films and teen comedies, the movie provides scattered big laughs for all ages, even if it never really addresses the source of Norman’s powers.

Plus, the film is never really scary, as it has difficulty conveying dread, even as the filmmakers introduce a variety of creative supernatural imagery.

Yet the visuals most often compensate for any narrative shortcomings. And fortunately, it’s fast-paced and funny enough that most viewers probably won’t mind.

Rated PG, 93 minutes.