Moonrise Kingdom

I've got used to the fact that Anderson only makes films for a certain audience and that I would have to be high to relate to his fictional worlds. But while The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Fantastic Mr. Fox didn't interest me at all, Moonrise Kingdom was quite good and I managed to have a fine time with it (and I wasn't high). The simple and effective premise plays a significant role, and in the hands of an interesting director, which Anderson undoubtedly is, takes on much greater dimensions of thought and narrative, and the same can be said about the excellent performances of the actors. Bruce Willis in particular, with a proper role after a long time, is a pleasure to watch in a different position than just as John McClane, Edward Norton is also unique as a scout leader, and we will have to keep a close eye on young Kara Hayward in the future. Anderson has finally pulled it off, and even though he alternates excellent moments with weaker ones far too often for my taste, he has managed to create a very easygoing family film with great child heroes, for which one screening is probably not enough. 3 and 1/2* (25/11/2012)

Wes Anderson is a unique character who you don't see in world cinema too often. He always manages to surprise me, whether positively or negatively. Moonrise Kingdom is supposedly heavily inspired by his own childhood, and in that case, I wouldn't want to be his father or scout leader. Just as Miloš Forman became a role model for firefighters, Anderson has become one for scouting. Moonrise Kingdom is a film about children, love, determination, and bad weather. This film about rebellion against the adult world and the journey to fulfill a first love resonated with me. So far, this has been my most delightful encounter with Wes Anderson's work. The director's sense of absurdity, irony, and nonconformity definitely triumphed here. Overall impression: 95%. (26/04/2018)

Anderson's scout sale - contrived, copied from previous deeds, atypically unfinished (so many ideas simply just fade out), and more than anemic in terms of the storytelling. I accept the poetry of the first loves and boy's camping, but I expect more from Wes than the amusing shallowness, which mainly turns into a total spasm in the end. (07/07/2012)

Wes Anderson lives in a strange world full of strange and crazy people. It seems a bit as if his films had eaten a ton of mushrooms before the screening, and I watched the rain alternating with cloudy weather. And that’s when the moon comes out. Anyway, I have to say plainly that I expected a little more, mainly because of the great cast who appear in the film. That included both my favorite Bruce Willis and, on the contrary, Edward Norton, with whom I never know what to think, as well as the director’s staples like Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, who are always joy to watch. I didn’t have a problem with the actors; what was worse was the storytelling and the scouts, who seemed to have crawled out of the factory for the absolute. It was nice, but it was weird and that’s why the three stars are just right. (04/01/2013)

Like a heretic, I confess that I have only seen Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, which didn't quite fit my mood at the time and has been waiting for a second chance ever since. After Moonrise Kingdom, I will definitely give it that chance. And I'm definitely going to (finally) watch Anderson's older films too, because this one literally charmed me - with everything. An original, funny, endearingly childish adult spectacle, perfectly cast, even better written and directed, and with a great Desplat score. What more can I ask for? (09/03/2014)