Today’s quick review: Moonrise Kingdom. Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman), a troubled orphan, flees the confines of Camp Ivanhoe, his summer camp, and elopes with Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), his sweetheart, across the trails of the small island where they live. Their goal is freedom, however brief, and the chance to pursue their preteen romance. But their disappearance does not go unnoticed. Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton), Sam’s scout master, rallies Troop 55 to hunt for the runaway children, while Mr. and Mrs. Bishop (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) implore Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis), the local police captain, to find their daughter. The children’s flight eventually draws the attention of Social Services (Tilda Swinton), who threatens to have Sam sent to an orphanage if he is caught.
Moonrise Kingdom is a quirky film from director Wes Anderson. The tone of the movie is odd: not funny enough for a comedy, but too weird for a drama. It is a movie about young love, growing up in an imperfect world, and the overblown perils of life in New England in 1965. Wes Anderson brings his signature style to the film, with symmetrical camera shots, peculiarly detached characters, and a serious, almost mythological, treatment of the mundane. As Sam and Suzy brave the woods of New Penzance Island, they undertake a physical and emotional journey that is given as much weight as any story of higher stakes and wider scope. The young couple’s problems are real to them and therefore to the director and audience as well; their world is a blend of preteen drama and genuine danger, and both are given equal treatment.
The main draw of Moonrise Kingdom is its unusual style. Every shot is visually interesting, the writing pays close attention to minutiae that would never come up in other films, and the characters interact with a deliberate stiffness that is rare to see elsewhere. The setting comes to life through the film’s dedication to details and its curious conceits, such as referring to Social Services only by her title or showing a map of the island whenever characters travel. The lead couple have an odd sort of romance; Sam tries to impress Suzy with his camping skills, while Suzy seems pleased to finally have someone she can open up with. Both have psychological issues that make them social misfits, and they find comfort in each other.
As a story, Moonrise Kingdom has just enough of an arc to make it satisfying. It narrowly avoids being a meaningless slice of life, offering the mere skeleton of a conventional plot for the audience to cling to, but its focus is on tone. Its unusual style and dramatic treatment of low-stakes events give Moonrise Kingdom a false air of comedy; the only joke is the treatment itself, delivered deadpan without winking at the audience. The cast is formidable but underutilized. Familiar faces populate the universe of Moonrise Kingdom, but only Edward Norton seems to be acting himself. The other characters are flat and flawed, a good fit for the movie but not the standout roles the actors are known for.
Watch Moonrise Kingdom if you are a fan of Wes Anderson or stylized cinematography. It is a film of contradictions: a drama with comedic overtones, a stilted romance, a cast of big names doing little things, and characters that under-emote but remain likable. If you delight in such contradictions, you will have plenty to look forward to. But these contradictions come with a price of being unable to follow through. All the drama, all the romance, and all the humor is forced through the same lens, producing a unique film that defies easy categorization. Many viewers will not see the point, and those who prefer straightforward or conventional films should look elsewhere. For everyone else, Moonrise Kingdom is a cute, peculiar movie that makes for a very interesting watch.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it 7.5 to 8.0 for quality and originality; your score will vary with how well Moonrise Kingdom’s odd mixture of elements matches your tastes.