A vastly underrated quirky, funny, perhaps even slightly profound animated film

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2012)

Wes Anderson's very unorthodox take on Roald Dahl's classic Fantastic Mr. Fox really shows what animation can do. Here, fabled director Anderson, known for his hipster-esque style and dry humor, portrays the story of a fox who, going through a mid-life crisis, decides to get back into his old line of work and start stealing chickens again. Though the story is simple, the aesthetics and overall emotional appeal of the movie is astounding.
Some might scoff at motion-stop, but the animation really does fit well with the film. The world it is set in is charming and colorful, and the movement of the characters is realistic when it needs to be, and cartoonish when it doesn't. The whole barrage of stars that lent their voices for this film is pretty impressive—George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson. These actors portrayed their respective characters very well, making their lines sound natural and lifelike. From Davy Crockett to the Beach Boys, this film also features an eclectic, yet appropriate, range of songs.
I found Fantastic Mr. Fox most memorable for all of the little things. Every gesture, every facial expression, every under-the-breath comment from one of the characters adds to the film. In just about every scene you can find something interesting going on in the background, things you probably won't notice the first run through. The movie beckons you to pay close attention so you can truly get all of its emotional undertones and quirky character nuances. These little things may not ultimately contribute to the overall story of the movie, but that's not a bad thing. It's refreshing to see a movie that includes these unnecessary details that adds depth to the characters and environment (even if they are puppets!). In fact, I found these characters to be more lifelike and relatable than those in many live-action films. The chemistry between them is great, and even casual, seemingly unimportant conversations among these woodland creatures left me chuckling ("No you're not. You're disloyal."). Though a dry and somewhat awkward comedy, it can also be touching or even profound at moments, making it a very enticing film indeed.
Though marketed as a children's movie, it is obvious that this film has something for people of all ages. For anyone a fan of Wes Anderson, Roald Dahl, or animation in general, I wholeheartedly recommend this vastly underrated film. Anderson is off on the right foot for this genre, making me await any animated film he hopefully comes out with next.