The Fantastic Mr Fox

I am usually the first person out the door when a new Wes Anderson film is released, but when this movie was in cinemas last year I was hesitant. In fact, when I had heard about its production I already knew I probably wouldn't see it straight away.Why is he making a children's film? I thought. In fact, having now seen the movie, I wonder if anyone under the age of 18 and/or not familiar with Anderson's previous films could have enjoyed this at all. There is so much aimed at adults, and so much Andersonian techniques and trademarks, that with only a few changes it would closely resemble The Royal Tennenbaums, or Bottle Rocket. This in itself is both a good and a bad thing. Anderson's films are an enjoyable indulgence but, like Tarantino in a way, I begin to wonder if he'll ever make a 'serious' film, or deal with real issues. This is perhaps a fictitious division, it could be argued everything in life is real, everything is serious, but there is something undeniably light in Anderson's films that, given his incredible talent and vision, I wish he would turn to drama. The Fantastic Mr Fox is hilarious, surprising and heart-warming, but sadly it is nothing we haven't seen before. I've no complaints if he keeps on making such films, but would feel a tinge of regret each time he did.