Today’s quick review: Fantastic Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox (George Clooney), a chicken-thief-turned-writer, lives in a burrow with his wife Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), his grumpy teenage son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), and his athletic nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson). When his old life calls to him, Mr. Fox moves his family into a tree with a strategic view of three ripe farms and resumes thievery with the help of his new landlord, an opossum named Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky). But the farmers are not to be trifled with, and Mr. Fox’s exploits soon threaten the safety of his family.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stop-motion family comedy based on the book by Roald Dahl and directed by Wes Anderson. Wes Anderson brings some of his hallmarks to the film, including straight camera shots, quirky dialogue, and an energetic score by Alexandre Desplat. But unlike his live action films, where the actors under-perform for the sake of tone, the voice actors in Fantastic Mr. Fox are given reign to bring their characters to life. The result is a film that is more lively and accessible than Wes Anderson’s other works while still retaining his quirky charm.
The film’s art style is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it gives the characters free reign to move in peculiar ways, easily pulling off shots that would be impossible in live action. On the other hand, the visual style of the film takes a lot of getting used to. The lanky characters, peculiar facial features, and simplified landscapes all feel off, as though they were the representation of a world rather than a world of their own. The effect wears off after about half an hour, just leaving a sense of energy behind, but be sure to stick with it until then.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a light, quirky comedy with a peculiar art style, good characters, and bits of directorial flair throughout. Watch it if you are a Wes Anderson fan, you enjoy stylized films, or you are in the mood for a quaint, fast-paced family film. Skip it if you prefer films that are more normal than experimental, or if you are looking for a hilarious comedy rather than an amusing one. The level of craftsmanship is high, and while parts of the world are off-putting, Fantastic Mr. Fox succeeds in telling a pleasant tale with energy and style.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for quality, creativity, and strong voice acting.