Adorabibble

Rating: 8/10 (20 February 2014)

So it turns out that Wes Anderson's unique rhythm and wry sense of humour is a natural fit for stop-motion animation. Indeed, after a few minutes you mostly forget you're watching an animated movie as there's little difference between this and Anderson's other films. His signatures are very much at home here and really feel alive in this new environment.
It's quite refreshing to watch an animated film that doesn't rely on puns and slapstick humour. The characters are interesting and the tone was so low key that even the more ridiculous elements have a soft landing. It's a children's movie where actions have consequences while also featuring better heist planning than Ocean's Eleven. Remarkable.
As film scores can make or break an animated film, it was critical for first-time Anderson collaborator Alexandre Desplat to not only deliver a quality animated score, but to reconcile that with Anderson's style. Desplat manages to do both and, not surprisingly, went on to work with Anderson on Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
In the end, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not so much a movie that makes you feel like a kid again as it is a children's movie that's grown up. But in many ways, as a reluctant adult, that suits me better.