Movie Review - Fantastic Mr Fox

The film focuses on two sides of growing up, on Mr Fox trying to regain his youth by daring the three famers with his thievery. It is also his son Ash trying to grow up and become responsible and recognised for his talents. The film's theme centers on growing up, having a family, resisting becoming tame and retaining a sense of spirit. Mr. Fox (George Clooney) is a likable former bandit. Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) is equally clever. But she has tamed her wild nature since the birth of her son, Ash (Jason Schwartzman). (Puig, 2009) Mr Fox demonstrates the set of people that are made from what resides within so the character refers to fact he is a wild animal and that is why he must behave like one for the excitement and rewards that brings. In comparison, Mrs Fox has retained her wild nature to become the role mother figure and taken the responsibilities to create that balance that the viewer would recognise in other families.

Figure 1, (2009), Mr Fox and gang dressed as burglars

Wes Anderson has taken the original source material and blended the story with his techniques to create a stylised version that is popular to a wide range of audience. Roald Dahls source material finds the perfect adaptation in Andersons approach something children will only appreciate more as they age. Its like watching an uncle tackle an ofttold tale for a nephew, embellishing it with sumptuous bits that sit just this side of inappropriate naughtiness. (Rogers, 2010) Anderson has introduced the right amount of dark humor references such as Mrs. Foxs need to paint a landscape in a weather disaster to be recognized as his work but stuck to Roald Dahls child friendly way of storytelling so that film is still appropriate to the original language and themes. The changes Anderson made in the adaptation gave the story more length and humor such as the rabies infected dog chasing Mr. Fox and then when his sidekick asks him a question, Anderson turned the tables and made Mr. Fox seem blank and not really paying attention.

Figure 2, (2010), Boris, Bunce and Bean

Andersons filming style has also been captured through the stop motion world of Fantastic Mr Fox to make the gags appear funnier and represents a true likeness to how people behave in the real world. This is a Wes Anderson film right down to the carefully composed, symmetrical framing, the almost theatrical depth of field, and the colourful, choreographed movements. If anything, the stop-frame animation has allowed Anderson to rediscover his early inspiration for this unique style, and it feels as fresh as it did in Rushmore and Bottle Rocket all those years ago. (Deigman, 2010) Anderson has cleverly captured peoples characteristics in the animals such as the scenes where Mr Fox makes a speech and giving hope to his animal comrades to his nephew who believes in the ways of meditating and karate. Through use of camera angles the audience can identify what sort of trait a character has and who is more authority such as Bean always sitting in the middle while Boris and Bunce are sat either side agreeing with him.

Figure 3, (2010), Foxs Speech (end)

Illustration List

Figure 1, (2009), Mr Fox and gang dressed as burglars, @ http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mrfox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60, Accessed on: 2009 Figure 2, (2010), Boris, Bunce and Bean, @ http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantasticmr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/, Accessed on: 1st March 2010 Figure 3, (2010), Foxs Speech (end), @ http://www.bluray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/, Accessed on: 20th January 2010

Bibliography Deigman Nick, (2010), London Film Festival Fantastic Mr Fox Review, @ http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-reviewfantastic-mr-fox/, Accessed on; 15th April 2010 Puig Claudia, (2009), USA Today Fantastic Mr Fox Review, @ http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13fantastic13_ST_N.htm, Accessed on: 13th November 2009 Rogers Nick, (2010), Heroes of the Zeroes Fantastic Mr Fox Review, @ http://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-thefantastic-mr-fox/, Accessed on: 13th April 2010

4 /5