Fantastic Mr. Fox

Rating: 8/10 (19 October 2010)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are the films I have seen adapted from the books by Roald Dahl, and this was the next one from director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums). Basically Mr. Fox (George Clooney) spends most of his time raiding farms, but when Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) reveals she is pregnant, he makes the decision to quit. Two years later Mr. Fox has bought a new house in a tree for him, his wife and their son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), and Mr. Fox has become a newspaper columnist. The tree is located very close to the farms belonging to Franklin Bean (Sir Michael Gambon), Walter Boggis (Robin Hurlstone) and Nathan Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and his old career is soon to return. After moving in Mr. Fox's nephew Kristofferson Silverfox (Eric Chase Anderson) has come to live with them, but this doesn't stop Mr. Fox with his friend Kylie Sven Opossum (Wallace Wolodarsky) planning to steal chickens, turkeys and alcoholic cider. After the successful "final raid" of the three farms, led by the nasty Bean, he and the also mean Boggis and Bunce decide enough's enough, and that they should catch and kill Mr. Fox and the gang. Bean did manage to shoot the tail of Mr. Fox off, but they know that the animals are digging underground all over the place to get away, so the farmers try to drown them in the tunnels with a hoard of cider. Mr. Fox and the gang have retreated to the sewers, but they know they have to go back when Kristofferson has been captured, with only the Rat (Willem Dafoe) knowing his location. Mr. Fox sends a message to the farmers negotiating his surrender for Kristofferson's release, but in fact the animals have planned a counter attack. In the end the farmers are defeated by the cunning of Mr. Fox and the animals, they manage to get his mauled tail back, and they have accepted living int he sewers to stay safe, but they have found a pothole leading to salvation in a supermarket, run by Bean, Boggis and Bunce. Also starring Bill Murray as Badger, Owen Wilson as Coach Skip, Jarvis Cocker as Petey, Wes Anderson as Weasel, Brian Cox as Action 12 Reporter and Adrien Brody as Rickity the Field Mouse. The film is made by the old fashioned stop motion in stead of the modern CGI effects, this makes the film much more charming. Obviously the Americanisation of the story does stop it being completely British, but Clooney is great choice for the leading, and the other supporting characters are great fun too, it a most watchable family animated comedy adventure. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Music for Alexandre Desplat and Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Animated Film and Best Music, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film. Very good!