Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson, 2009): USA/UK
Reviewed by Byron Potau. Viewed at Edwards Cinemas, Santa Maria, Ca.
For those who have been waiting since 2001’s The Royal Tenebaums for Wes Anderson’s next stroke of genius it has finally arrived in the form of Fantastic Mr. Fox. While staying close to the story of Roald Dahl’s original children’s book Anderson imbues the film with his distinct style, characters, and dialogue that will satiate fans who have walked away from his last two efforts a bit disappointed. It is also a brilliant dive into the world of stop motion animation that will have his fans clamoring for more.
Caught in a fox trap, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) vows to give up the life of stealing chickens and such and live a safe, respectable life with Felicity (Meryl Streep) who reveals she is pregnant with their son. They do escape and Mr. Fox has settled into family life with his wife and son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), but his occupation as a newspaper columnist lacks the thrill of his former thieving days and Mr. Fox moves his family to a bigger house located near three wealthy farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. With oppossum Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), Mr. Fox plans nightly raids on the farmer’s poultry, and cider that sets the three farmers on an all out mission to kill Mr. Fox and his family which endangers the rest of the nearby animals.
Anderson’s usual players, including Bill Murray, Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson fill out their roles nicely. Dafoe is especially tenacious as Rat, Bean’s hired henchman who guards the cider. Clooney and Streep excel in the leads, but Wes Anderson’s brother, Eric Chase Anderson, steals the show as Kristofferson, Mr Fox’s multi talented, highly adept, soft spoken nephew.
The animation, while not ultra smooth, takes on a charm of its own, distinguishing itself with Anderson’s typically colorful and extremely detailed scenery. Anderson’s camera makes its customary quick pans, and tracking shots we have come to expect from Anderson’s work. Anderson and co writer Noah Baumbach have a good feel for Dahl’s original work and seemlessly add their own material to fill out the story with Anderson’s quirkiness never at odds with Dahl’s original. The actors deliver much of their dialogue in quick jabs giving the film a frenetic pace and their comic timing is nothing short of perfect.
The delightful Wes Andeson distinctions abound. The soundtrack impresses as it usually does in Anderson’s films. This time around there are cuts ranging from The Beach Boys to Burl Ives, with additional music provided by Alexandre Desplat. The costumes are typically fanciful and funny from tailored suits to bandit hats.
With much of Anderson’s work thus far it all comes back to the dynamics of the family. Characters learn their faults and limitations, characters reconcile with one another and understand each better, and a better end is achieved. Thematically, Anderson is not treading new ground, but his voice is distinct enough and his style so fresh and original that it doesn’t seem to get old. In fact, Anderson hasn’t been this fresh and fully fleshed in years and it is fantastic to have him back in form.
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