Fantastic Mr. Fox

My growing disappointment and frustrations with the slew of juvenile and intelligence-offending trailers were immediately diffused with the first frames of Anderson’s animation. The warm orange sky and simple childish staging of Mr. Fox next to a single tree was all at once amusing, captivating, and calming. And to the benefit of young and old alike, the entire film remains as such.

It should come to no surprise to those savvy to the films of auteur Wes Anderson, his ascribed quirkiness and fondness for a particular color palette remain intact. The little suits and details that exist in the Fox world could have come from the Tenenbaum’s house or from the director’s closet. However, the minutiae of set designs, miniature props, and detailed creations could hardly be contained with a closet of even the most successful director. The film’s visual exuberance and craftily ingenious construction return to an inspired and inspiring state of animation lost on the repetitive computer based child fare audiences yearn for. Aided by twelve frames per second rate, the film captures early animators attempts at fluid motion limited by the then current state of technology. The result is not some quaint attempt at nostalgia nor homage to the early days of film but rather a re-envisioned distancing from the kind of movie audiences are used to.

Praise to Anderson for making a children’s movie not aimed at kids. And praise for making an adult movie not too grown up to be inaccessible. The 87 minutes flow by in what seems like ten and the visual and narrative deliveries provide both complex and simple exposition. Any fears that this be throwaway kiddy fare should be instantly allayed if not simply given the man at helm. And any fears I had the Anderson was selling out and taking the easy road seem trivial and irrelevant.

Still, I cannot help but ask how one directs an animation. And while the concerns and mentions of such questions arising during the production exist, in the wake of the final product they are better left for another day. Fantastic Mr. Fox is full of standard Anderson comedics, detailed and intricate creations, and likable, relatable characters. The complex and carefully executed action readily ignores the rules of logic to great benefit and pays little attention to common sense. And while the rich visuals do wonders for the senses themselves, the fact that all the characters seem to find their place doesn’t leave the film on any sour note.