Too generic and predictable on the story side, but they drum up quite a few fun scenes. It really helps that this wasn’t a Disney release, because given the genres it’s operating in it’d probably be a lot more tame and boring. As far as animated Halloween films go, I wouldn’t put this over _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ or _Corpse Bride_, but it’s still a decent enough watch. I almost wish it wasn’t trying to be a comedy, because the humor is clearly the weakest part of the film, and you don’t really need it given everything else going on. Some of the pacing can be awkward, there are a few corny moments here and there and a lot of the side characters (as well as their inner dynamics) are way too cliché. However, Laika can always fall back on their amazing animation style when the script isn’t entirely working. There’s some really great use of colour in this, often resulting in unique palettes that truly make the movie pop. The stop motion animation style and interesting use of shadows are fantastic, feeling distinct from other Laika projects. Add to that a terrific score by Jon Brion, and you have a great example of excellent production choices saving a potentially bad movie.

5.5/10