Review of Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) by Kyle C — 30 Jul 2014

Fantastic.

I love seeing what Wes Anderson can go with what's given to him.

I'm not sure if anyone really expected much from this movie based off of the Roald Dahl book, mainly since the quality of Dahl's movie adaptations has... varied over the years. And honestly the trailer just didn't really impress me the first time I saw it.

But like most of Anderson's trailers, the final product ended up being much different from the trailer, this one being for the better.

The script is very fast paced and fun, giving each character room to say something important or funny. The humor was also great for adults and kids to understand. I also really enjoyed how during the climax quite literally everything began falling apart. It helps show just how drastic things were getting.

The character of Mr. Fox is kind of a mixed bag. You will either love or hate his mischievous ways. Some of his running gags last a bit too long but I personally liked him. He's charming without overdoing it. He (for the most part) realizes when he's made a mistake and tries to fix it or do what he can with what he's got. The side characters are very fun and quirky from the goofy Kristofferson (great name by the way) to the evil farmers, who also get a couple of good laughs ("You wrote a bad song, Petey! ") By the way, props to Desplat for another great soundtrack.

The animation, although tough to get used to at first, looked great and unique. This is a film that, like most of Anderson's works, sets itself apart from others. It's animation, characters, camera work, and script all make this movie one of a kind. Whether or not it's unique in a good way is up to you, but personally this was a tasty treat that was wonderful to watch.

8/10 Amazing.