(reprinted from The Recorder)
Boy, what a treat. I don't think I've ever seen, or will ever see, another animated film quite like Fantastic Mr. Fox. Oh sure, there are films it can easily be compared to (Chicken Run, Shrek, Wallace and Gromit), but Fox makes no effort to imitate. It's a film in a class all of its own, and it deserves a special place in the world of animated cinema. Many kudos indeed to Wes Anderson (you probably know him as the guy in the kick-ass American Express commercial that doesn't feature Marty Scorsese) who, while stepping out of his element, sticks to his guns and produces another fine piece of work. Even though it is not his finest film, it is probably his most ambitious work to date, and further proof that he is one of the most original artists of the cinematic craft working today.
Having said that, it must be noted that the only thing that separates this film from others in Wes Anderson's catalogue is the animation itself. Without the animation, it's your typical Anderson fare: the dark and witty humor, out-of-the-element acting, the Anderson regulars (their faces aren't seen, but you will recognize the voices right off the bat), and an overall separation from realism. Even for an animated feature, Fantastic Mr. Fox belongs in the same sort of alternate universe all of his other films belong in, only this time there are anthropomorphic animals. Whether or not that means there will be talking animals in Anderson's future films, I'm not sure. What I can say is that even though this world can only exist in an animated universe, it's not far off from the bizarre worlds Anderson has already created in other films. Anyone who's seen his other films would know (hint hint to those who haven't seen any of Anderson's films already).
The leader of the skulk is the eponymous Mr. Fox, voiced by Mr. George Clooney. In short, Mr. Fox is the Danny Ocean of animated anthropomorphic animals. He's a fox with a sharp tongue and even sharper teeth. Without falter, he zips through off-limits territory in a sequence that will remind many viewers of a Super Nintendo game circa 1990 (this is one movie whose spin-off game I probably would buy, and I HATE video games). At his side is the sweet but distraught Mrs. Fox, voiced by Meryl Streep (no adjective needed). Their relationship is one of the more genuine points of the film, and the emotions felt and words uttered between the two are without sugar-coating. Other standouts are Anderson regular Bill Murray as a badger/lawyer (a redundant description, may I say), and Willem Dafoe as the brawling and shot-calling Rat. Between Fantastic Mr. Fox and the equally cheery Antichrist, Dafoe seems to have well met his quota for movies with foxes in it for the next 20 years.
Self-awareness is what makes this movie a joy. Not many children's movies dissect themselves the way Fantastic Mr Fox does; even though these animals dress in human clothing, they are fully aware of their animal instincts and identities. Arguments often turn into snarling matches, and meals are eaten furiously. They appear to be human, but these animals are far from domesticated.
Allow me for a moment to address the animation itself. In a time where computer animation and CGI rule the world, it's remarkably refreshing to see stop-motion animation still being employed. The interesting thing about the stop motion animation in the case of Fantastic Mr. Fox, however, is that it's not slick. The bristles on Mr. Fox's hair move as if there were a fan constantly blowing every which way. But for a film whose sets and characters are entirely hand-made, it's pretty impressive. The little details did not get in the way; I was having way too much fun watching Mr. Fox poison a dog via blueberry. Animal poisoning has never been this much fun. What's even more impressive are the individual shots – the film looks like a Wes Anderson film. It's like he shrunk himself and a Steadicam down to figurine height before shooting. Quick cutting is key for effective animated comedy, certainly, but this film is more like a documentary of a diorama come to a life. And a good one, at that.
No Wes Anderson film is complete without a solid soundtrack, and Fantastic Mr. Fox certainly delivers in that department; with tunes by the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Nancy Adams (from Disney's Robin Hood... think about that for a second), and stop-motion superstar Burl Ives, Anderson once again creates an aural experience that is perfectly complementary with the mood and visuals. The most notable difference between Fox and Anderson's other films is the absence of Mark Mothersbaugh as producer of the original score, but this is not to say that Alexandre Desplat does a worse job than Mothersbaugh could ever do. The music made the film whole, and it made me want to rush out and immediately buy the album as soon as I left the theatre. And of course, what's a great animated movie without a musical sequence? Jarvis Cocker (portraying “Petey” in the film) has a terrific scene that is interrupted by a disturbance that almost deconstructs the idea of impromptu singing in film (see further posts for link to soundtrack)
Whackbat. Let's talk about it. This is a sport which was not in the original book, but who cares? The obvious inspiration for this sport (Anderson has confirmed this) is cricket, which, like all other sports, contains rules that seem completely ludicrous, but rules are rules. You don't question them, you just do it. Even though whackbat may seem silly (which it is), it doesn't make it more or less silly than many of the other sports that are played (curling? Seriously?). Hell, people are so afraid of baseballs and tennis balls, they may as well already be on fire. As far as fictional sports go, Fantastic Mr. Fox has Harry Potter beat.
If you haven't noticed by now, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not your typical animated feature. Fox is definitely not strictly kids' fare: some of them may be frightened by some of the imagery and dialogue, but animation has been scaring kids since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Hopefully kids will see it at a young age and enjoy it, then they'll watch it in a few years and get more of the jokes. That's what happened to me in the case of films like Aladdin and Who Framed Roger Rabbit – if you got stuff that will keep kids and adults alike smiling throughout, you've got a solid hit. Kids will enjoy the cute animals and whacky situations, and adults will dig the sly-as-a-fox humor and vocal performances. When I say it's an “adult” animated film, I don't mean it in the same why as films like Heavy Metal and Fritz the Cat; basically, it's not fan-boy-porn. It's an incredibly well-rounded adventure that will keep your heart smiling and your mind optimistic. In an era that is pessimistic about the progression of cinematic creativity, Fantastic Mr. Fox keeps me believing.
Amazing blog. You have discussed the film Mr.fox which is a fantastic animated film. I observed a brief story and trailer of this film. Also the obvious inspiration behind it. It is very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Apart from this article, I learned about hammerhead shark which is the largest of all hammerhead species.
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