Fantastic Mr Fox: Movie Review

Fantastic Mr Fox: Movie Review

Rating 8/10
Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon

Director: Wes Anderson
The first full length animated debut of director Wes Anderson sees him tackle the much loved Roald Dahl fave, Fantastic Mr Fox.
George Clooney voices Mr Fantastic himself, with Meryl Streep taking on his long suffering wife and Jason Schwartzman voicing his son, Ash.
Mr Fox is a fox under pressure - forced to give up his chicken stealing ways by his wife, he's now writing a column for a paper but clearly listless and yearning for his old ways.
So when farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean set up near to Fox's haunt, the Fantastic one fails to quell his desire and is soon organizing one last heist with pal Kylie, an opossum who loves to zone out during conversations.
But Foxy may have bitten off more than he can chew as the farmers fight back&.
Deranged, magical, original and blessed with a wondrous soundtrack, Fantastic Mr Fox is a treat for the family for 2010.
Thanks to some great vocal performances from the likes of Clooney, Bill Murray as a badger and a stand out turn from Jason Schwartzman, the stop motion film is a great way to spend 90 minutes.
Director Wes Anderson deserves an accolade for this film - it's zany and quirky in a brand new way - and takes the animated tale to a whole new level. The puppetry is brilliantly done and fits with the overall tone of the film which is fun.
Sure, there's a subtle layer mocking Fox's arrogance, but Clooney pulls off the role brilliantly - according to our Fantastic Mr Fox featurette, Anderson apparently gathered the cast together to perform the vocals rather than the traditional isolated booth favoured by many. And it appears to have worked because there's an energy which crackles all the way through the film.
That energy's complemented by some original sight gags and some greatly unexpected funny moments - the rivalry between Ash and Fox's nephew Kristofferson is gently dark - and benefits greatly from Schwartzman's performance which adds layers to the character and is wonderfully underplayed.
You can only hope this won't be Anderson's only foray into the animated world - because what he's committed to the screen is great fun. There's a decidedly indie feel to the film - and some wonderfully inventive touches (a fight scene between Mr Fox and Willem Dafoe's Rat is choreographed against flashing lights of an electric fence) show he has a deftness of touch.

Fantastic Mr Fox will charm kids and please fans of Roald Dahl's book - it's a bonkers piece of fun.