It Was Fantastic!

Rating: 9/10 (13 October 2010)

I have never been so absorbed by a group of animated figures. Even more impressive than the stop action process used here (it must have taken forever), is a delightful set of people/animals that charm us and make us care. As with all Roald Dahl children's books, we get to see the dark side of humanity, no punches pulled. The animals are a combination of their natural propensities and "human" qualities. The story involves an upwardly mobile fox, voiced by George Clooney, who wants the best for his family, but can't seem to avoid killing chickens or robbing the people who live on the edge of his domain. He is a "wild animal" and this makes it hard for him to restrain himself. He is also quite irresponsible but so charming that he can talk his way out of anything. Into the mix is his faithful wife (who really gets fed up with him) and a son who is small, aspires to be an athlete, and is in the throes of teenage low self-esteem. A whiz kid cousin come to visit and upsets the apple cart. Ultimately, the actions of Mr. Fox bring about a battle with the dangerous humans and the fun begins. This is a delight to look at. Even if you're not into "children's" animated films, I became totally absorbed.