Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

It's been a good number of weeks since I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox and it just so happens that I'm getting around to it now. Luckily for any of you unfortunate enough to stumble onto my blog from time to time, the movie may still be playing in a few theatres or it could be on its way to DVD. So that has to be some kind of boon right?

Anyways, Fantastic Mr. Fox is the story of a wily, fast-talking fox determined to live life stealing chickens and engaging in devilish mischief as any proper fox would do. Upon being cornered on a particularly dangerous raid of a local farm, Fox is told that his wife is pregnant. This revelation, along with an earnest urging to give up his life of danger, spurs Fox to retire from the scheme business and get an honest job. The film flashes forward a few years and Fox is working a day-to-day job with an altogether average home life. Of course Fox has never given up the ghost of his past life and it is none too soon that he is up to his old shenanigans once again which leads to inevitable trouble for his friends and family, and the crux of the entire film.

All in all, it would be tough to say that this movie is a fresh story all things considered. The real draw of the film lies in three significant factors. The first and most obvious is the animation style. Utilizing stop-motion and other visually quirky elements, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a very entertaining film to see. While some viewers will likely find the admittedly odd style of the film to be anywhere from off-putting to disturbing, it is safe to say that Wes Anderson stalwarts will be delighted how well this new medium accents the directors approach to movie making. This leads into the next significant draw of this movie -- Wes Anderson. It would be reasonable to assume that if one did not enjoy any of the director's previous cinematic efforts, Fantastic Mr. Fox will not change any minds. Another common mistake in assessing the merits of this film would be to immediately dismiss it as a children's movie. While I would say that a child could see this movie and not walk away with any deep psychiatric scarring liable to manifest itself in adolescence; I would say that older audiences are much more likely to cull enjoyment from the various things Anderson does in this and all of his films. Wes Anderson is quite skilled at creating a universe for each of his movies that feels grounded in reality, but just 'left-of-center'. There's an odd quirkiness inherent in a movie by this director that at once unsettles the viewer while making them that much more engaged in the incredibly detailed world presented. As always, experiences will vary from person to person.

The final selling point in this movie's favor is the superb voice casting. All audio recording sessions were performed in the areas they were appearing in the movie. For example a scene in a barn was audio recorded in a barn. To be honest, it's a small detail that likely will not register in your head as you watch, but upon thinking back I found it to add a nice level of texture to the proceedings. I've always been a fan of George Clooney as a comedic actor. I find his willingness to go the extra mile for a laugh commendable, and as a voice actor he's really able to go for it in a way that tickled me from start to finish. Clooney plays Fox with a manic kind of energy that propels the film and the character scene to scene and stands as perhaps one of the key lynch pins in achieving the tone of the movie. Clooney is joined by Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox who surprises with her great comedic timing and wonderful ability to play straight girl to Clooney's manic show-stealer. Playing their son is Jason Schwartzman as Ash. Schwartzman is at his best when in an Anderson film and this is no exception. Here he plays the part of misplaced and slightly depressed child forced to live in his own father's shadow to both humorous and heart-warming effect. These actors are joined by appropriate and inspired voice casting the likes of Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson himself, Michael Gambon, and Willem Defoe.

There's not much else to say about Fantastic Mr. Fox. Like almost all of Wes Anderson's movies it has equal parts humor, drama, and in the end heart-warmth (if such a thing exists). Without sounding like I'm knocking the film, it's a light affair. Nothing too heavy or emotionally charged, but at the same time this stands as one of those movies that I personally could watch almost any day at any time on a whim. Long story slightly less long? See this movie if you're looking for some entertainment on a level not as low as something like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (which is not by any stretch a bad film), but not as intense as something like Away We Go.