Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray
Rated: PG for action, smoking and slang humor
Director Wes Anderson is known for his unique sense of style, beautiful art direction, unorthodox stories, and overtly existential overtones to his films. His adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl is no different. While it’s certainly Anderson’s first attempt at a “kids” movie (and his first film that wasn’t rated R), Mr. Fox still comes with Anderson's baggage, both good and bad. It’s beautifully shot, and it may be the best-made animated film of the year, but it’s missing the heart and emotions that made Pixar’s Up a true success. With his past films, I’ve been disconnected from Anderson’s unorthodox story telling or odd ball cast of characters (with the exception of The Royal Tenenbaums). However, with the Fantastic Mr. Fox, its Anderson’s troubling message of encouraging the civilized characters of his story to embrace the wild-animals that they (or we) are. This is straight scientific realism, which justifies an “animals’” behavior (which Anderson would call “instinct”) purely for their own survival. Heavy stuff, especially for a children’s movie, but not surprising from Mr. Wes Anderson.
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