Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Though it is based on the Ronald Dahl children’s book Fantastic Mr. Fox really isn’t targeted at a younger crowd. If anything it skews older in its style of humor while still being appropriate for all audiences. This is one of the rare movies that I could envision parents really appreciating on their own level while their kids are still kept interested. It may have a tough time selling itself because it is unique and that is unfortunate. Word-of-mouth however will be strong and hopefully that will make audiences more comfortable seeing it while still not knowing exactly what to expect.

Frustrated by his lack of recognition Mr. Fox moves his family to an above-ground home where he finds himself back in his old profession of thievery. The targets are the three nearby farms of which he had been warned of the bad reputation of the men who ran them. When they figure out that Mr. Fox is the one stealing from them they become obsessed with tracking him down and killing him. The side characters get caught up in all this including his family and other animals of varied professions.

I have somewhat enjoyed movies in the same visual style such as Chicken Run or Wallace and Gromit. I have somewhat enjoyed Wes Anderson movies like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. I just wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a big fan of either. Despite that I was sold on Fantastic Mr. Fox as soon as the first scene started playing out. The two together mesh perfectly and it caught me by surprise.

The stop-motion animation adds a very unique feel especially in how it is utilized. The motions made are sometimes exaggerated and other times reserved, and close-ups on the characters at specific times accentuate their emotions. The crudeness of how it all looks is actually played off as a comedic element and it completely works. I found myself chuckling at the most random things.

The voice acting is another understated but successful element of the film. George Clooney is the biggest name but others such as Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Meryl Streep, and Jason Schwartzman are involved. Certainly Clooney’s voice is recognizable but he never takes it over the top. Wilson also stands out but his role is much smaller. Outside of those two it wasn’t so easy to identify the characters with who was voicing them and that is a good thing. Lots of animated films bring in big stars and the characters end up taking on elements of their personalities. That was avoided here and it made for a much more grounded experience to watch.

I tend to distinguish comedies based on how they attempt to get the laughs and how I respond to them. Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the rare movies that falls into my “genuine” category. Never does it feel forced as the story doesn’t concentrate on making jokes but instead it comes through due to the characters, situations, and visuals. I would’ve cracked up just as much if I were watching it alone so it wasn’t crowd influenced. I respect how it was handed as it never looks down on the audience. Instead it invites the audience in to enjoy it in whatever ways they may personally connect with.

Ultimately I recognize that Fantastic Mr. Fox may not be a movie for everyone. The tone and characters are quirky and the stop-motion animation may add differing amounts of amusement for each person. Still I haven’t laughed this consistently through a movie for a long time and that makes me confident enough to recommend it to anyone.

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