Endearing and hugely enjoyable

Rating: 9/10 (12 June 2011)

For those who are looking for a 100% faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl's book, I think they will be disappointed. Lacking the dark edge of Dahl's book and of his writing in general, Fantastic Mr Fox is not so good as an adaptation, however on its own terms it is wonderful. It is an endearing and hugely enjoyable film.
One thing that stood out was how the film looked. Instead of the CGI rendered effects, Wes Anderson opts for a more old-fashioned stop-motion effect. This decision worked, because the visual look is outstanding, not just in the beautifully detailed backgrounds and sets but in how the characters move as well and the small details such as the armchair in his writing hut.
I like Alexandre Desplat's music quite a bit. His score for Fantastic Mr Fox is no exception, it is quirky yet still has the minimalist style that makes Desplat stand out. The story is sometimes slow in the pace but because of the humour and how it looked, I never found the film boring, besides the story itself is so good. The writing is great, the humour is more adult but a vast majority of it is very funny with the odd touching moment too.
The characters add a lot. Mr Fox is one of my favourite titular characters in a book and the film did little to change that, and while some are slightly underused they serve their purpose well. The voice work is fantastic. I wasn't sure about George Clooney, but he does do a bravura job, and Meryl Streep is quite touching. Michael Gambon is sterling, as is Bill Murray as Badger.
In conclusion, hugely enjoyable and one of my personal favourites of 2009. 9/10 Bethany Cox