Wednesday 6 June 2012

Today's Review: Moonrise Kingdom


I hadn't heard about this movie at all until yesterday when a friend suggested we go see it. I must say I haven't seen much of Wes Anderson's work, which, I have been informed, is unforgivable. So off I went, attempting to begin to right my wrongs.

Moonrise Kingdom takes place on a small island located in New England in 1965, and follows young boy scout Sam and local girl Suzy as they attempt to run away together. Of course their plan is soon discovered, and the scout troop and Suzy's family join in the search, along with a few local oddballs. But there's a big storm brewing on the horizon, and how easy will it be to find the lovestruck pair with Sam's amazing wilderness skills?

Yes, I may not have seen many of Wes Anderson's movies, but I've certainly seen a few parodies on YouTube, and it's plain to see that Moonrise Kingdom is very much his style. We have dysfunctional, quirky characters, and shots that are set up like Rube Goldberg machines, where everything has its place and plays out perfectly. There's not a single wasted shot, and the movie is quite beautiful as a result.

Character wise, even by looking at the poster I could tell it would be something special. What an amazing cast. Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, even a brief appearance from Harvey Keitel. Everyone plays their part perfectly, and you really get sucked into this little community where everyone is as strange and flawed as each other. But the big names aren't even the main focus of the movie, it's the kids who really steal the show. The romance blossoming between Sam and Suzy is wonderfully captured, and the scout troop on their trail are fantastic, like an indie-fied Goonies.

I had relatively high expectations from seeing the cast and the good reception this movie has, but Moonrise Kingdom stil managed to impress me. I enjoyed every minute of it, everyone does a fantastic job and it pulls together into a great movie.

My rating: 5/5

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