Considering director Wes Andersons’s penchant for whimsical story telling, off-kilter dialog, and heavily stylized world building, it seemed only a matter of time before he would arrive at the works of Roald Dahl. Dahl, perhaps best know for his books “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach”, managed to capture in his writings the swirling blend of imagination, energy, silliness, and fear that children experience everyday.
So when it was announced that Anderson’s first ever adaptation would be Dahl’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, fans were delighted at the prospect. Even more so when they discovered that the film would be stop motion animation. With Anderson’s realities becoming more and more heightened, as in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, this seemed like the next logical step, as he would no longer be hemmed in by the limitations of the nature world. And with Anderson’s meticulous eye for detail kicked into high gear, his resulting Fantastic Mr. Fox is a masterpiece of creativity, humor, and no small amount of melancholy. Not merely one of Wes Anderson’s best films but also among the best animated movies of the last thirty years.
Despite the film’s stylistic flourishes, the story is a relatively simple one, seen in various film genres (including animation, with Pixar’s The Incredibles being a prime example). The story involves the wily Mr. Fox (voiced with a wink by George Clooney), a former chicken thief now settled into domestic life, living with his wife (Meryl Streep) and son (Jason Schwartzman). Unhappily employed as a columnist for the local paper, Fox yearns for the dangerous exhilaration of his old life. Eventually, he gives into temptation and begins thieving again, setting off a
war between three malicious farmers and the local animal population. While these battles are often ridiculous to the point of farcical, the sobering fact remains that Mr. Fox has put his family and friends in harm’s way as he attempted to recapture his glory days.
Soon, Fox realizes his error, having become so focused on his previous adventures that he failed to recognize those that were right in front of him. Humbled by this new realization, Fox comes to embrace the rewards of being a husband, father, and friend. However, lest we begin to think the moral of the story is too simplistic, Fox also discovers the true value of the skills he honed in his old life, not in the indulgence of his own insecurity and ego, but in the protection of those he loves.
This balance of personal passion and selfless love is one that we all struggle with sooner or later, usually through a series of unfortunate mistakes. That Fantastic Mr. Fox explores this very human problem through the experiences of animals makes it almost allegorical, in the same vein as Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. Unlike that work however, this film, while exploring very adult concepts, is something that kids can heartily enjoy. And what’s more, with its delightful visual realization of Dahl’s story the film invites even the most jaded adult to join in the lively fun of this amazing film.