Fantastic Mr. Fox Review

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ is a Hardly Typical Stop-Motion Adventure

-----Mr. Fox is tired of his circumstances. Living in a hole due to the threat of humans, he throws caution to the wind and decides to buy a tree, right next to three of the nastiest human farmers in the area. His next move, part independence day-part midlife crisis, is to steal right out from under their noses. Unfortunately the consequences eventually catch up to him, and he’ll have to find a way to save his neighbors and his family from the wrath he has brought down upon them all. That, or forever fall short of being known as the “fantastic Mr. Fox.”

-----George Clooney is brilliant as lead, Mr. Fox. He brings a distinctive vet presence to the role, which relies heavily on his familiarity and consistent charisma. His role is by far the films’ best, and his comedic timing is perfect for its dry humor tendencies. Playing his wife amply is Meryl Streep, who’s agreeably unrecognizable in her much smaller role. Jason Schwartzman (‘Funny People’) plays Mr. Fox’s attention seeking son, Ash, with Eric Chase Anderson playing his unknowing nemesis Kristofferson (Ash’s talented and humble cousin currently living with the family). The two have some decent interplay, though nothing too notable. In small supporting roles are Wes Anderson veterans Bill Murray as Badger and Owen Wilson as Coach Skip. Owen Wilson, as moviegoers know, has a very distinct and very funny voice. While he is listed highly in the credits and advertised shamelessly, the unfortunate reality is that the entirety of his scenes can be seen in the trailer. While this was a disappointment, it’s a small frustration amid otherwise fairly apportioned screen times among the cast. Other members of the acclaimed ensemble include vocal appearances from the Willem Dafoe (‘Spider-Man’) and Michael Gambon (‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’).

-----‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ employs the use of extremely dry humor in typical Anderson fashion, though here (as opposed to the traditional Anderson film) the attitude is less glum and more inspirational. Fox’s upheaval and entire campaign is an often funny endeavor, though smirks are frequently induced rather than laugh-out-loud hysteria. The film falls into problems when it runs out of source material to drive the entire 87 minutes. A fairly fast paced, plot driven first half is upended by a conclusion that is drawn out in unnecessarily extended scenes, save their addition to the necessary runtime for a feature film. This causes the audience to slowly lose faith and interest in the film’s direction, especially once the eyes have adjusted to the initially intriguing animation.

-----On that note, stop-motion animation is a very revered technique due to the sheer time consuming, detail-driven art form it is. And outside of Tim Burton and Henry Sellick films, not a lot of it is seen in Hollywood, likely for the necessary efforts previously mentioned. With that in mind, ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ is a fun and appropriate take on the Roald Dahl story, with quirky visuals and an overall entertaining atmosphere. The limitations of the technique are at times apparent during scenes with lots of movement, as the dolls being used are simplified for faster animation; but the positive effect of this inconsistency is that it is also very apparent when the animation excels into beautifully flowing set pieces. Complimenting the animatronics is a fitting musical score and clever cinematography that effectively captures the creatures’ collective struggle against the farmers.

-----I wouldn’t take a kid to ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’; not a young one anyway. And I say that as someone who is ready to expose children to the majority of PG-13 programs. And, maybe if the film had been rated as such rather than its actual PG Rating I would have been more forgiving on this aspect. Ultimately it boils down to onscreen, if not condoned, smoking; and the consistent and often heard replacement of foul language with the word “cuss.” While this is no doubt one of the film’s funniest running jokes, the fact remains that plenty of kids will likely catch on due to its repetition, including the fairly blatant replacement of the F-Bomb. Another scene involves one character dying in a fight, another odd use of black humor in what some would consider a children’s film. The film may have caught a break due to its independent production, but regardless it shouldn’t be penalized for its questionable rating. Just be ready to explain such elements to kids or be aware that this is a factor. And really, while enjoyable, most of the films best jokes stem from the exact material kids either won’t or shouldn’t get, so I can’t say I see it working too well as a kiddy flick. Many jokes also stem from the surreptitious use of humorous subtitles, which will also fly over small children’s heads. Politics aside, the usage of the cigarette in one scene is priceless.

-----Overall the endeavor is an enjoyable, if occasionally slow entrant into the crowded animation genre. The visuals are occasionally inconsistent though primarily strong, and the humor is often enjoyable if rarely laugh inducing. ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ is definitely one of the year’s more original animated outings, though not necessarily one of its best due to the aforementioned narrative issues. Fans of Wes Anderson films shouldn’t have any reserves about seeing this one in theaters, and will likely add it to their collections with just as much ease. As for everyone else, if the trailer caught your eye or you’re a fan of alternate animation styles (as opposed to Hollywood’s monthly computer generated films), there’s plenty to like here. It would seem that Anderson with kids in mind manages to make a film that is much less of a selective taste than his prior adult-oriented titles, even if it’s not the best movie for children. Consequently, ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ deserves a rent.

-----Oscar Watch: Expect a Best Animated Feature nod for Anderson's stop-motion adaptation.

Official Trailer