Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Fantastic Mr. Fox is the newest film by the quirky director of hipster dramadies, Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Bottle Rocket). Not only is it one of his best to date, the film re-imagines what we have come to think of as a modern children’s animated movie. Without an ounce of computer-generated imagery, Anderson is able to paint a portrait that is artistic, meticulously crafted and highly entertaining.
The story, which is co-authored by both Anderson and Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale), is a take on a popular Roald Dahl children’s book. It centers on the antics of Mr. Fox, voiced by the ever charming George Clooney, and his zany clan of family and friends. They aim to take on a trio of agriculture businessmen in a theft that rivals anything Clooney pulled off in the three “Ocean” films. Well, almost.
If any of Dahl’s stories were to be Wes Anderson’s animated opus, it would have to be Fantastic Mr. Fox. Anderson is known for his portrayal of dysfunctional and odd-ball families and can peg their interactions spot on. Such a character-driven film is perfect in his hands.
There is also something to be said about the great voice work done on the film. Clooney is joined by an all-star cast that includes Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox as well as Anderson staples Jason Shwartzman, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson. The dialogue suits both the actors and the characters, combining to bring the furry creatures to life.
With all of that being said, the film would never have the impact it does without the animation technique used in it. Stop motion hasn’t been seen in a while, but it always seems to work. Remember A Nightmare before Christmas or the other Roald Dahl story, James and the Giant Peach? Fantastic Mr. Fox joins these films and even surpasses them in many ways to become what I consider to be one of the better animated films of the past decade.
Every movement of the characters has been crafted delicately and purposefully. While certain CGI films found movement and realism purely by accident, Anderson makes sure nothing has happened by chance. Even the gentle movement of facial fur in the wind is created shot by shot, moving the characters slightly in each frame. This love and care has clearly paid off.
As the film progresses, we learn more and more about Mr. Fox and his family until a fairly rich tableau of characters are presented. These include Ash, Mr. Fox’s son, the badger who fixes Mr. Fox’s plumbing, and Ash’s cousin, who happens to be a martial arts expert. They all come together to pull off one incredible heist.
If you have kids, take them to see this film. Drag them if you have to, because they’ll really appreciate it. It might also make you seem less creepy than if you were to go alone. If you don’t have kids, but revel in the nostalgia of the story and the buzz that comes along with any new Wes Anderson flick, then you should go too. Seeing it on the big screen is a great experience where you can really appreciate the details, so don’t wait for this one to come out on DVD.
