FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach
Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Michael Gambon
I think “delightful” is a good word to describe Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. In a time where the animation world is dominated by CG, it’s fun to see a divergence from the norm. In taking on a well-loved classic, Anderson and his team give it a pleasant, whimsical re-imagining.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is based on the children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” fame. Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) is a lovable scoundrel trying to steal from three of the meanest farmers around. Things get complicated when the farmers decide to fight back. The cast is mostly woodland creatures; fox, badger, rabbit, weasel, and so on. But we also get some great moments with the evil farmers. The ringleader is voiced by Michael Gambon, who expertly gives us both sinister and hilarious moments. Among the rest of the voice cast we find Wes Anderson regulars such as Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman.
The look of the movie is one of the things that gives it so much charm. The color pallet is full of soothing fall colors, and the landscapes are beautiful in a simple way. That’s the way all the animation is. It goes in the opposite direction from the super-realism attempted in some animation, which gives it a lot more character. It has its own aesthetic as well, coming from relatively unknown animation company MacKinnon and Saunders. And everything in it encourages you to come along for the ride.
The script is simpler than other Anderson films, being based on a children’s book, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. It still has a recognizable crackle of Wes Anderson/Noah Baumbach dialogue. There are a few moments when the film seems to pop out of its kids genre to throw something to the indie-movie lovers, who will undoubtedly be out in droves.
Because it’s simpler (I wouldn’t call it simple, but simpler), the story is not as compelling or moving as Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore. Also lending to this is the mere fact that it’s animation on animal faces – you’ll never get the same emotion from an animated image that you would from a true human face. But the movie isn’t trying to change your life, it’s trying to tell a good story in a fun way, and it succeeds.
You’ll see here some of the same “father” themes that regularly pop up in the work of both Anderson and Baumbach, but not to the same degree. The story arc between Mr. Fox and his son Ash (Schwartzman) has a heartfelt setup and a tender pay-off. The character interplay is enough that it will have something for all audiences, even if it doesn’t blow your mind. Anderson’s directing style is also still there, for certain. There are lots of straight-on close-ups, long wide shots, and his typical attention to set design. A scene showing the animals in different levels of the sewer will remind savvy audiences of the presentation of the Belafonte in The Life Aquatic. And as always, there’s lot of great classic rock music, from the Rolling Stones to the Beach Boys.
Some might question whether or not this is a movie for kids, considering the big debate over Where the Wild Things Are this October. I think Mr. Fox will be enjoyable for both kids and adults. The animation is fun, the story is basic enough for kids to follow, and hey, it’s got talking animals. It moves quickly enough that it shouldn’t lose children’s attention. At the same time, the themes are pretty universal, so parents can take something from it, and they’ll get more of the jokes.
It belongs in a different category than his other films, but Fantastic Mr. Fox is still a great offering from Wes Anderson. It’s a fun ride, it might pull at your heartstrings a little bit. I’d say…well, I’d say it’s delightful.
GLADIATOR (2000)
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