Animation · Fantasy · Family · English
Coraline (2009) Full Movie Review: Watch & Download Online
★ 9.0 / 10
| Director | Henry Selick |
|---|---|
| Voices | Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Ian McShane, Keith David |
| Runtime | 1h 40m |
| Released | 6 February 2009 |
| Music | Bruno Coulais |
| Based on | Coraline, the 2002 novella by Neil Gaiman |
| Box office | $188.3 million worldwide |
Watch the official trailer
Synopsis (spoiler-free)
Coraline Jones is bored in her new home — her parents are always too busy to play — until she finds a small door hidden behind the wallpaper. Through it lies a brighter, kinder version of her life: parents with time for her, neighbours who adore her, and food that is actually delicious. There is only one catch. Her Other Mother wants Coraline to stay forever — and to sew buttons over her eyes.
Our detailed review
Story — 9.0/10
Based on Neil Gaiman's 2002 novella, Coraline is a perfect fairy tale told the old way — as a warning. The story understands something most family films forget: children know when adults are lying about how safe the world is, and they respect a story that doesn't lie back. The Other World starts as a wish — better food, better parents, a garden that blooms on command — and curdles so gradually that you feel the trap closing one small compromise at a time. Coraline doesn't win by being the strongest; she wins by being the most stubborn, by counting buttons and refusing to be owned. It is a story about appreciating the imperfect real thing over the perfect fake one, and it lands for adults as hard as it does for children.
Acting — 9.0/10
Dakota Fanning's Coraline is a proper heroine — brave, stubborn and rude in exactly the way real eleven-year-olds are, never a polished little angel. Teri Hatcher does double work as the real mother (distracted, tired, loving in her own way) and the Other Mother, whose warmth curdles into something insectile; it remains one of animation's great villain performances. The supporting voices — Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French as the faded actresses, Ian McShane as the acrobat Mr. Bobinsky, Keith David as the dry, unbothered Cat — make the Pink Palace feel crowded with life. The Cat, in particular, steals every scene he wanders through.
Direction — 9.5/10
Henry Selick, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, made the first stop-motion feature ever filmed in 3D, and the craft is staggering. Laika's puppets were built with 3D-printed faces — thousands of expressions swapped frame by frame — and every set is hand-made: the garden glows, the Other World is too bright, too neat, too perfect, which is exactly what makes it frightening. The film never rushes; it lets Coraline explore, get bored, get tempted, and only then get scared. Seventeen years on, no computer-animated film has matched the feeling that this world was built by hand, one tiny stitch at a time.
Music — 8.5/10
Bruno Coulais's score is strange and lovely — music-box melodies, wordless choirs and odd, off-kilter rhythms that sound like a lullaby remembered wrong. It makes the Other World feel magical and the real world feel grey by comparison, which is the whole point: the music is part of the temptation. It is subtle rather than showy, and it works best on a second viewing, when you notice how the themes darken as Coraline's choice gets closer.
What works
- Hand-made stop-motion craft that still has no equal — every frame feels touched by a human hand.
- A genuinely frightening villain in the Other Mother, and a heroine who earns her victory.
- A story that respects children instead of talking down to them.
- It gets better with age — adults notice new layers every rewatch.
What doesn't work
- The middle act slows down during the theatre and garden sequences.
- It is too scary for young children, despite the family label — best for ages 10 and up.
Final verdict — 9.0/10
A stop-motion masterpiece — still the gold standard for dark family fantasy. Watch it every Halloween, and once in between.
Rating breakdown
Where to Watch
Coraline streams on HBO Max, Hulu and Peacock. It is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV.
On HBO Max you can also download it in the official HBO Max app on your phone or tablet to watch offline legally (with a Standard or Premium plan) — see our guide on how to download movies legally.
Box Office
| Budget | $60 million |
|---|---|
| Opening day | Not reported (only opening-weekend figures are reliably documented) |
| Opening weekend | $16.85 million (domestic) |
| Worldwide total | $124.6 million (original run; $188.3 million lifetime incl. all re-releases) |
| Verdict | Hit |
Opened at No. 3 in February 2009, ahead of expectations. Re-releases added tens of millions more — the 15th-anniversary 3D re-release in August 2024 alone grossed $52.4 million worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coraline scary for kids?
It can be. Coraline is rated PG for thematic elements and scary images, and the Other Mother is genuinely frightening. Most parents find it best for children aged 10 and up, though brave younger viewers who love spooky stories enjoy it too.
Is Coraline based on a book?
Yes. It is based on Neil Gaiman's award-winning 2002 novella Coraline, adapted for the screen by director Henry Selick.
How was Coraline made?
Coraline was made by Laika using stop-motion animation, with hand-built puppets and sets. It was the first stop-motion feature film originally shot in 3D.
Is Coraline worth watching as an adult?
Absolutely. It is one of the rare family films that improves with age — adults catch the themes about appreciation, temptation and imperfect love that children simply feel.
How much did Coraline earn on its opening day?
Not reported — only its $16.85 million opening weekend is reliably documented (Box Office Mojo).
Is Coraline a hit or flop?
A hit — it earned $124.6 million worldwide on a $60 million budget, and later re-releases pushed its lifetime total to about $188.3 million (Box Office Mojo).
Where can I watch Coraline (2009) online?
Coraline streams on HBO Max, Hulu and Peacock. It is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Can I download Coraline (2009) legally?
Yes — the only legal way is to download it inside the official HBO Max app on your phone or tablet, with a Standard or Premium plan. The film is not offered as a separate file download anywhere else.
Hindi FAQs
Coraline movie kaisi hai?
Coraline aik stop-motion masterpiece hai — bachon ki film lagti hai lekin andheri aur darawni kahani hai jo baron ko bhi pasand aati hai. Hamari rating 9.0/10 hai.
Kya Coraline bachon ke liye hai?
Ye PG film hai lekin kaafi darawni hai — chhote bachon ke liye nahi, 10 saal se upar ke bachon ke saath dekh sakte hain.
Coraline kahan dekh sakte hain?
Ye HBO Max, Hulu aur Peacock par stream ho rahi hai.
Coraline ne total kitna kamaya?
Coraline ne apni pehli release mein duniya bhar mein $124.6 million kamaye, aur dobara releases ke saath iski total kamai taqreeban $188.3 million ho gayi. (Source: Box Office Mojo)
Coraline download karke dekh sakte hain?
Ji haan — HBO Max ki official app mein phone ya tablet par download karke offline dekh sakte hain (Standard ya Premium plan ke saath). Yehi legal tareeqa hai; film ko alag file ke tor par download karna legal nahi hai.