Directed by:
Wes AndersonCinematography:
Tristan OliverComposer:
Alexandre DesplatCast:
George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Mr. and Mrs. Fox (Clooney and Streep) live an idyllic home life with their son Ash (Schwartzman) and visiting young nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson). But after twelve years of quiet domesticity, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr. Fox’s wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief and in doing so, endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community. Trapped underground without enough food to go around, the animals band together to fight against the evil Farmers - Boggis, Bunce and Bean - who are determined to capture the audacious, fantastic Mr. Fox at any cost. In the end, he uses his natural instincts to save his family and friends. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (10)
If you don't look for why all the characters act like they're on sleeping pills, and you don't demand such horseshit from the film as catharsis, applicability, an elaborate script, or plot dynamics, you're in for perhaps the best cartoon ever. Besides, the production is breathtaking.
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“I used to steal birds, but now I'm a newspaper man.” Heist movie. Western. Bond flick. Social drama. A film about a crisis (marital and midlife). Existential comedy. There is no point in trying to pigeonhole Fantastic Mr. Fox, because A) that is impossible, and B) that impossibility lies in its fantastical nature (and its point). It’s hard to describe how specifically Anderson's first (and fortunately not his last) animated film is so unique because, for the second time, I was unable to shake off the enchantment of the animated animals in favour of sober analysis. Besides, there are so many wonderful things in the film… A well-designed mise-en-scène that suggests how emotional the heroes are (ready-made Antonioni), the choreography of the characters in front of a camera set in the ideal place (which saves hundreds of needless cuts), a visual rendering that is like a fairy tale in general but realistic in its details. Anderson’s realistically complex story of the struggle with one’s own naturalness astonishes with grand scenes, eliciting amazement (THAT scene with the wolf), as well as small details for the more attentive, when speechlessness alternates with a cry of joy (the inner conflict of civilised wild animals reflected in the idyllic landscape, always with some untameable lightning or tornado in the background). Of the few films that I would rather love than understand, this one is certainly the most colourful. And the wildest! 95%
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Original, weird, engaging, magical. A typically atypical and uncategorisable Wes Anderson.
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Another way of looking at it is that Wes Anderson did not bend his back to the genre, but instead the genre bent its back to Wes Anderson. A typical affair with flashy retro dramaturgy, a sly monotonous pace, an imaginative camera and content on the edge between a fairy tale and the philosophy of life over a morning bowl of cornflakes. If not for the middle, wherein the attempt at a psychological analysis of cute puppets goes a little beyond the real possibilities of Anderson's film, it is a flawless affair - old-fashioned, imaginative, waywardly...a film destined not to succeed commercially, but to be infinitely loved. Bravo, Wes!
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The Great Cheese Robbery Anderson-style. So nothing for kids. In his fox guise Clooney is maybe even more charismatic than usual, Dafoe’s part is one of the unforgettable ones, plus Desplat à la Morricone, not cheaply stealing from him (not like many others), but developing on him fantastically. And in fact this entire movie is a fantastic celebration of fox, uh sorry, human fantasy and playfulness.
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Some choices look like sure bets. Both the author of the literary original and the director represent attractive artists in their field who can write and direct differently from the mainstream and create amazing alternative worlds. I was perhaps too excited because what I got was an animated film that wasn't as mature and provocative as I had imagined. Additionally, I had a problem of an ethical nature, so to speak. I was cheering for those who were portrayed as villains in the movie, even though they were actually just protecting their property. On the other hand, the charming Mr. Fox is nothing more than a thief who justifies his thievery by saying that he simply enjoys it. It is simply a morally depraved film. In the end, I was most pleased with the visual aspects, which are truly unique even in today's flood of films on the market. Overall impression: 65%.
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I was really looking forward to another great animated movie, but what I got was a huge and ambitious disappointment. The story overall is interesting and original, but the director didn't quite pull it off in my opinion. It doesn’t have enough pace, the oddly conceived animation didn't appeal to me at all, and I found the drawn-out dialogue desperately angsty and unfunny, with the main characters sometimes solving problems trying to be as close to humans as possible. I really hate to slag films like this, but in this case, unfortunately, after the first viewing, I have no other choice.
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For me, it’s one of the greatest animated films of all time. I completely agree that Wes Anderson's work isn’t for everyone, but those who enjoy his style must be overjoyed (I’m in the latter group). The animation itself has its charm—simple, yet immensely purposeful and, importantly, original, which is rare these days. Then there’s the absurdity of the story, which is what makes this film a cult classic. The main character, Mr. Fox, lives in an animal community that is the antithesis of human life, although it bears many similarities to human society (then suddenly there’s a scene where Mr. Fox and Badger start growling and baring their teeth, and the fun begins). The screenplay is precise, and the film offers plenty of entertainment (such as the scenes with Beagly and the blueberries), but it also touches on serious themes, with Anderson showing various lessons derived from the behavior of the main characters. It’s hard to talk about this film if you haven’t seen it... However, I can recommend this quirky film with a completely clear conscience. I give it 88%. P.S. It’s an animated film, but I wouldn’t show it to very young children. Not because of any violence or such, but because they might not understand everything. It’s not just a mindless afternoon watch; it requires some thought.
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Stop-motion puppet animation is always something that must be appreciated, especially if it has a meaningful story, which in this case it does, even though Roald Dahl's source material is definitely not ordinary. Perhaps it's not a film that's explosively funny, but it's a film that maintains Anderson's peculiar poetics. I enjoyed it.
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A drama about a marital crisis, a portrait of a complex father-son relationship, and a regular heist movie in animated guise with affectionate comedic elements thrown in. Yes, it sounds wild and over-the-top, but Wes Anderson just knows how to do this. The fantastic dubbing of the main character by George Clooney and the near-perfect timing of most of the gags then puts Fantastic Mr. Fox in a completely different box than conventional animated films. But therein lies its greatest strength – in its originality, its bold multi-genre execution, and its typical "Andersonian" poetry, which (and I totally get it) may not appeal to everyone, but no one can deny the playfulness and powerful emotional experience.
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