Fun and whimsical, but not as entertaining as I had hoped

Rating: 7/10 (31 March 2014)

I saw the trailer for this film several times in other movie outings. Trailer was great. Now, one hopes that they did not put all the great bits in the trailer, that they held some stuff back. But no. So when we saw the film, we thought it was fun and whimsical, but nothing too special or funny. All the really potentially funny parts were already revealed in the trailer. Perhaps that's why we were underwhelmed by the film in the end.
The costumes, colors, and decor are great. The scenery, the whimsical gadgets and characters were also great. But, like some people mentioned, there wasn't really anyone that we cared for. We cared a little about the young lovers, maybe. But the main character was not someone we really rooted for, because, well, we knew things would go his way for the most part. The audience was shocked at the few violent scenes, which are a departure from the usual Anderson fare. Strangely, we liked the only really violent character in the film (Dafoe), perhaps because he seemed less whimsical and was not trying to be funny and failing at it.
In the end, the film is entertaining and a feast for the eyes. But do not expect to laugh hard or be moved much. Moonrise Kingdom and The Royal Tenenbaums still remain Anderson's best.