Fantastic Mr. Fox Review
I love literature and what I might appreciate even more is a truly amazing adaptation of a book into a visual medium. There are however, major problems and complications that come with such an endeavor. Firstly, how can is it possible to condense a 300+ page book into a mere 90 minutes? Most times it’s downright impossible to capture all of the beautiful elements that make a book a work of art. There are some very good adaptations out there that truly capture the essence of book…
While others fail so hard you find yourself asking how such a project was ever green lit in the first place…
At the same time there are some adaptations that go completely into the surreal and end up giving the world a fresh and bizarre film that is able to survive on it’s own merits. One such film is “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”
I haven’t read Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, in quite a few years so I’m relatively hazy on the details but let me tell you, Wes Anderson’s version of Mr. Fox is not close to the original book. Rather, it is a complete reimagining of Roald Dahl’s classic that tugs at your retinas and demands your undivided attention. The sheer beauty of the colors and images bombarding your eyeballs is a feast all in itself. A younger me would have rebuked such straying from the source material but now I find myself reveling in the ingenuity of this film.
The bizarre nature in which this story is unfurled leaves you wondering where on earth the narrative will take you next. One particular aspect of filmmaking that Wes Anderson films are renowned for is the extreme attention to detail in set design. Every inch of this stop-motion animated film is fit to bursting with eye candy.
From a storyline standpoint I have to be honest and say that it’s a little lackluster in that department. I found myself really enjoying everything that I was watching but wishing that I was more connected with the characters that I was supposed to be rooting for. The entire film felt like a series of vignettes that I was watching as they sped quickly by.
I believe that this was a stylistic choice on the part of writer who I’m clearly stating that I don’t necessarily agree with. That being the only complaint that I have to offer up, I overall highly approve of this movie and heartily recommend it to anyone who loves cinema and the craft of animation.
No, it doesn’t follow Roald Dahl’s storyline exactly. However, it takes it’s inspiration clearly from the mind of Roald Dahl and puts it into a new light for the world to enjoy. I would argue that without such deviances we wouldn’t have such a wonderful variety of stories to enjoy and love today. So next time you find yourself complaining that a film adaptation of your favorite book doesn’t live up to your aspirations, just appreciate the film for what it is and what it’s trying to be. If the film truly sucks… Then simply don’t watch it because it’s not worth the heartache or headache.
