Movie Review - Fantastic Mr Fox

8/2/2019 Movie Review - Fantastic Mr Fox

1/5

Movie Review - Fantastic Mr Fox

The film focuses on two sides of growing up, on Mr Fox trying to regain

his youth by daring the three famers with his thievery. It is also his son

Ash trying to grow up and become responsible and recognised for his

talents. The film's theme centers on growing up, having a family,

resisting becoming tame and retaining a sense of spirit. Mr. Fox (George

Clooney) is a likable former bandit. Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) is equally

clever. But she has tamed her wild nature since the birth of her son, Ash

(Jason Schwartzman). (Puig, 2009) Mr Fox demonstrates the set of

people that are made from what resides within so the character refers to

fact he is a wild animal and that is why he must behave like one for the

excitement and rewards that brings. In comparison, Mrs Fox has

retained her wild nature to become the role mother figure and taken the

responsibilities to create that balance that the viewer would recognise in

other families.
http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/George+Clooneyhttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/George+Clooneyhttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Meryl+Streephttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Jason+Schwartzmanhttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Meryl+Streephttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/Jason+Schwartzmanhttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/George+Clooneyhttp://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Actors,+Agents/George+Clooney


2/5

Figure 1, (2009), Mr Fox and gang dressed as burglars

Wes Anderson has taken the original source material and blended the

story with his techniques to create a stylised version that is popular to a

wide range of audience. Roald Dahls source material finds the perfect

adaptation in Andersons approach something children will only

appreciate more as they age. Its like watching an uncle tackle an oft-

told tale for a nephew, embellishing it with sumptuous bits that sit just

this side of inappropriate naughtiness. (Rogers, 2010) Anderson has

introduced the right amount of dark humor references such as Mrs.

Foxs need to paint a landscape in a weather disaster to be recognized

as his work but stuck to Roald Dahls child friendly way of storytelling so

that film is still appropriate to the original language and themes. The

changes Anderson made in the adaptation gave the story more length

and humor such as the rabies infected dog chasing Mr. Fox and then

when his sidekick asks him a question, Anderson turned the tables and

made Mr. Fox seem blank and not really paying attention.


3/5

Figure 2, (2010), Boris, Bunce and Bean

Andersons filming style has also been captured through the stop motion

world of Fantastic Mr Fox to make the gags appear funnier and

represents a true likeness to how people behave in the real world. This

is a Wes Anderson film right down to the carefully composed,symmetrical framing, the almost theatrical depth of field, and the

colourful, choreographed movements. If anything, the stop-frame

animation has allowed Anderson to rediscover his early inspiration for

this unique style, and it feels as fresh as it did in Rushmore and Bottle

Rocket all those years ago. (Deigman, 2010) Anderson has cleverly

captured peoples characteristics in the animals such as the scenes

where Mr Fox makes a speech and giving hope to his animal comrades

to his nephew who believes in the ways of meditating and karate.Through use of camera angles the audience can identify what sort of

trait a character has and who is more authority such as Bean always

sitting in the middle while Boris and Bunce are sat either side agreeing

with him.


4/5

Figure 3, (2010), Foxs Speech (end)

Illustration List

Figure 1, (2009), Mr Fox and gang dressed as burglars, @

http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mr-

fox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60, Accessed on: 2009

Figure 2, (2010), Boris, Bunce and Bean, @

http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantastic-

mr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/, Accessed on: 1st

March 2010

Figure 3, (2010), Foxs Speech (end), @ http://www.blu-

ray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/, Accessed on: 20th

January 2010
http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mr-fox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mr-fox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantastic-mr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantastic-mr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mr-fox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/releases/fantastic-mr-fox/70a1ed98-4d16-446e-911d-bb3d34d7bf60http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantastic-mr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/2010/03/01/out-on-dvd-fantastic-mr-fox-wes-anderson-too-foxy-for-roald-dahls-tale/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-Blu-ray/8895/


5/5

Bibliography

Deigman Nick, (2010), London Film Festival Fantastic Mr Fox Review,

@ http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-review-

fantastic-mr-fox/, Accessed on; 15th April 2010

Puig Claudia, (2009), USA Today Fantastic Mr Fox Review, @

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13-

fantastic13_ST_N.htm, Accessed on: 13th November 2009

Rogers Nick, (2010), Heroes of the Zeroes Fantastic Mr Fox Review,

@ http://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-the-

fantastic-mr-fox/, Accessed on: 13th April 2010

4 / 5
http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-review-fantastic-mr-fox/http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-review-fantastic-mr-fox/http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13-fantastic13_ST_N.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13-fantastic13_ST_N.htmhttp://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-the-fantastic-mr-fox/http://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-the-fantastic-mr-fox/http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-review-fantastic-mr-fox/http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/london-film-festival-review-fantastic-mr-fox/http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13-fantastic13_ST_N.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-11-13-fantastic13_ST_N.htmhttp://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-the-fantastic-mr-fox/http://www.thefilmyap.com/2010/04/13/heroes-of-the-zeroes-the-fantastic-mr-fox/

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Movie Review - Fantastic Mr Fox