Fantastic Darjeeling Aquatic Mr Fox...

Fantastic Mr Fox – Wes Anderson

Now let’s begin this review with a quick note. I love Wes Anderson and all of his films. He’s an inspiration for my writing and for my work as a writer and director and I’m sure he has that affect for many people in this generation, the generation of facebook, top shop clothing, cider and black, Playstation 3/x-box 360 and hard drugs. Was that right? Anyway, he’s work is amazing, throughout, someone who hasn’t dropped the ball and keeps getting better. Your probably wondering why this little note was added, well because I’m against certain people. The people, who will literally steal the style from Wes, steal the awkwardness and characteristics of the work. I hate those people who think that by taking other peoples originality and spawning into something fucking unbelievable shit. And i know, just around the corner in the next twenty years, his work will be copied and I’m sure you know of at least one or two films that are blatant doing this. Fucking protest against them!

Now back to the review of the adaptation of the well loved Ronald Dahl book The Fantastic Mr Fox. A classic along with Biff and Chip, Harry Potter and The Hungry Caterpillar. The book is wonderful, a great read for children, something to cherish in the younger years. And the film, well let’s say the film is a different vehicle altogether. I don’t think you can really class them as the same. I would just say that Wes Anderson has taken the characters and setting and cloaked it over a Wes Anderson story and script. You could pretty much do the film without puppets and it would feel like Life Aquatic or Darjeeling. And that’s why I’m not going to associate the two together. I’m not going to reference the book for the idea of the film or the characteristics and how they act, because it’s two separate things and in that aspect, people looking for the adaptation to be close to the original source will be gravely disappointed. It’s not a Where The Wild Things Are type of film. But removing it from its source and now looking at it, solely as a film by Wes Anderson, it’s wonderful and it’s a great film. The direction, the acting, the pacing, the music, most aspects are covered and it becomes very enjoyable for both younger and older viewers. The voice talent on show is of course down to Anderson, casing Bill Murray, Jason Swartzman, Owen Wilson along with the wonderfully funny George Clooney, which was a piece of great casting.

The film tells the story of Mr Fox, voiced by Clooney who steals from three local factories, one making chickens, one making cold meats, and the last making apple cider. The three factory owners are horrible looking, sadistic people, who want the fox dead and begin to battle with the fox and his family to destroy him. It’s a pretty simple premise but crafted brilliantly. I really do recommend peeking this out along with Where The Wild Things Are, both great adaptations of children books.

8/10

Simon Childs