Fantastic Mr. Fox tells the story of Mr. Fox, a chicken-thief who turns from his life of crime when his wife tells him he's expecting a child. Fox is played by George Clooney, who couldn't be a more appropriate voice for the smooth-talking, scheming fox. Some of the typical forest fable rules apply here: fox can't stop scheming, farmers go to ridiculous lengths to rid themselves of the pest, and the fox always gets the last laugh. But Fox also works as a writer for a news column. He buys real-estate from a weasel working as an agent. A badger serves as his legal counsel. It's a bizarre hybrid of human and animal worlds that just works with Wes Anderson's style brilliantly.
The look of the film is unique, to say the least. For the first 15 minutes or so, things feel pretty jumpy and awkward. But as you get into the rhythm and the dialogue, you'll feel like a part of the world in no time. And when you get past that point, there really is a lot to appreciate in the lighting, the detail, and the cleverness of all the art and work that's on display here. Although this is an animated world, everything is a real object, and it does draw you in and make you want to look at the liquid in a wine glass, the wallpaper in a house, etc.
Some lines come from the book, but of course, most were made for this script. The mix makes something that adults can get a kick out of, but you can still see kids enjoying the wacky scenarios. Particularly amusing is the ongoing struggle of Ash, Mr. Fox's son, to try to be an athlete, or anything to impress his parents, but can never quite get out of his own way, or get rid of his snarky attitude. Again, it's the delivery here that makes a world of difference, but by the end of the movie, I was just looking forward to his next line every time he showed up on the screen. Then there's a scene with a wolf that just sums up the subtle humor and brilliance of the entire movie. You just need to see it.
The DVD includes several behind-the-scenes special features. Most people know the process of stop-motion animation is tedious, but the interviews here reveal some particularly surprising things. For example, barometric pressure would cause the tiny bottles of cider to go up and down during the movie, because scenes could be filmed over the course of days. Another interesting tidbit from here is that the slight ruffling animation of the fur on the puppets was actually intentional. Wes was fond of the (unintentional then) effect from the old King Kong movie.
I can't say this film is for everyone, but it's at least worth a rental. It's like a children's book that grows up, but never forgets it's a children's book. It's a bizarre world that you just want to see more of. Yet, it still makes sense, and it still feels real.
