Fun, frenetic film

Rating: 8/10 (26 June 2017)

'The Fantastic Mr. Fox' takes Wes Anderson's quirky directing style and applies it to animation. All the classic Anderson elements are there (relentless symmetry, wide shots with tiny elements of motion, laconic dialogue punctuated with pauses, etc), but in this case, all is acted out by stop-action, animal models. The result is a great animated 'action' film – a little dark at times (as befits a Roald Dahl story), but otherwise enjoyable by all ages. Marquee voice talent adds a lot to the wandering story of a fox (and father) dealing with his family and friends, and the disastrous consequences of his compulsion to steal from the local cabal of farmers. Much of the fun is in the details, so watch closely. The music (especially the children's chant motif) and the visualisation of the most 'psychotic' of the three nasty farmers adds a lot to the pleasingly grim-lite mood of the film.