MOONRISE KINGDOM Review
By: RAMA
Here is RAMA's Review for the film. Did he fall in love with the movie?
Wes Anderson’s latest yellow toned presentation, MOONRISE KINGDOM, is one of the most adorable films I’ve ever seen. Two very young and very naive lovebirds out on an adventure, against all odds, defying those who oppose, taking their chances in the wilderness.
The young actors, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward give bold performances and the big movie stars, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, in supporting roles, help those two young actors achieve the best out of their characters and their funny little love story.
Something about teens encountering romance for the first time that’s irresistible and Anderson has managed to successfully captured that by emphasizing curiosity and without losing innocence…
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, MOONRISE KINGDOM tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl.
If there’s one slight complaint I have about this film and it’s very slight, is that as much as Wes Anderson tries to give layers to some of the supporting characters, only some get a good amount of attention while others get neglected, for instance, Swinton’s character, social service lady, is ultimately the bad guy or the one that’s disliked the most and she doesn’t have much arc, but I suppose as long as the character development on the two leads, Sam and Suzy (Gilman and Hayward) is clear cut, I still think MOONRISE KINGDOM does its job and does it very well.
Those of us fans of Wes Anderson’s are no strangers to his brand of humor, MOONRISE KINGDOM has nothing short of exactly that. The oddities that happen along the way, (he has a tree house located freakishly way above ground), and how he’d often use juvenile animation, (I enjoy the maps and flying arrow) and of course, silly narration, this one’s done by veteran actor Bob Balaban.
Anderson’s humor is the kind that gets you to chuckle because it amuses the kid in you and that’s exactly why I keep coming back to his movies.
I can’t help but wonder if Anderson meant this to be sorta like his version of Romeo and Juliet. He wants these two love birds and their experience to eventually give positive impact or outcome to those around them who for the most part of the first act were driven by worry, concern, secrets, and were led on a search hunt because those two decide to pull the oldest trick in the book of romance, which is runaway together.
I think MOONRISE KINGDOM is beautifully shot, well-acted, and it doesn’t alienate its audience, I think it’s the most heartfelt film Anderson’s ever made, compared to his previous works. Those of you who’ve never done camping in all your life would enjoy this film as much as those who are nature freaks. With MOONRISE KINGDOM, Anderson wants to take us back, to embrace our youth and to celebrate what it means to put everything on the line for love, no matter how clueless it may seem. Don’t miss out on MOONRISE KINGDOM
GRADE: 5 out of 5
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