Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of Sam and Suzy. Sam is a Khaki Scout who is the pen-pal of Suzy and they plot to meet and run away to form their own new future away from the complications of their current situations. Early on the two meet, flee, and the others begin to track them as we learn more about the two children with the aid of the snooping adults.
Moonrise Kingdom is another film from one of my favorite directors, Wes Anderson. His previous film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), was one of my favorite movies that year. I was pleased to find out that many of the same elements appear in this film. The way the camera moves across a scene and bounces between characters' conversations, the strong yellows and browns, the rustic feeling brought on by the wilderness, and the use of silhouettes to pair characters' actions. Anderson has been known for his unique cinematography and I am pleased to say that it is present. One of the most striking examples is the use of close-ups when Sam and Suzy make their leaps into the ocean. It's not only noticeable, but it's also effective in making the overall feeling more organic. It's as if you're simply a person watching the event happen because of the camera's shakiness and the image's low-saturation.
Luckily, the presentation is just one part of the cleverly fitted puzzle as the story and characters are very likable. The top billing is given to Bruce Willis and I have to say that he is one of my favorite characters as the longing Captain Sharp. Throughout, he displays quiet thought and is believable in his display of concern and wanting for the others. Edward Norton plays the Scout Master of troop 55 and is probably the funniest part of the entire experience. Just seeing him in the scout uniform and so dedicated to "scouting" is hilarious as Norton is often noted for his very serious roles (that's not to disregard the roles in which Norton has been comedic). Bill Murray is good as the father of Suzy although I wish there was more of him. I am a big fan of Murray so I guess that is to be expected and he does play the role of distant husband and father rather well, but I felt like when he did show strong emotion that it was unexpected due to his indifference earlier (although this can be seen as a good or bad thing). I was also happy to see Frances McDormand return to a motherly role (a la Almost Famous) and the rest of the cast (especially the troop) were all presented in just the right way.
Last but most certainly not least, we have Sam and Suzy. The two actors compliment each other in a perfect way to tell the story of that strange period when the opposite sex begins to play a role. It's awkward, it's slow, and it represents how many people feel when they reach that point in their life. I would say that it's one of the few films that have captured that feeling of young love so well. Yes, there have been many movies that show burgeoning young love and yes, many of them are believable, but the fact that the two communicate better through writing and fairy tales than by words assists the idea that the two are hopelessly in love in the way that many others are when they are younger.
I would say the film has two different parts as the first half makes all of the characters (minus Sam and Suzy) seem extremely detached from one another, while the second half continues the main plot as well as showing how the others deal with a situation out of their control while dealing with their own problems. It's actually very effective because the adults begin to show more emotion right around time I wanted it to happen
I think the best thing shown in the film is contrast. They show young love, the first and arguably the brightest burning, and then show it next to a strained and suffering marriage in which the two are unhappy with one another. Then you have Captain Sharp who shows love lost. He wants to love, but can't seem to find it and continues to sit just outside of what he wants These three levels of infatuation weave together very well and make you root for the polar opposite Sam and Suzy.
In conclusion, I think Moonrise Kingdom is yet another wonderful Wes Anderson film. The characters and story are a perfect mix of fairy tale and reality. The pacing can feel a bit slow at times, but if you're in the right mood while watching this then you'll enjoy it thoroughly. I highly recommend it for fans of Anderson's previous work and those looking for a film that isn't a huge blockbuster that makes up for it with its charm.
Rating 4.5/5
Notes: I am aware that many of the same elements appear in Anderson's other films, but I chose to compare it to his latest work just to avoid making this a filmography analysis.
