Ritz Cracker

Rating: 7/10 (11 April 2014)

I can't say that I've heard of Wes Anderson, unlike the majority of posters here; I was attracted initially by the title, which conjured up images of the sort of lost world personified by the Orient Express and whilst that wasn't too wide of the mark what I found was a touch of the Monty Pythons and the sort of fare turned out by Terry Gilliam. It seems to be going out of its way to defy classification and in that sense adheres to the statement by Scott Fitzgerald; start with a character and you find you've created a type; start with a type and you've created nothing, with Anderson endeavouring to create a type of movie. The shaggy dog element may well irritate some people but I found it rather beguiling and an effective way in to a labyrinthine film that should repay a second look.