End-of-year reviews: Forgotten, underperformed, overshadowed, and/or under-the-radar films over the decades – Part 2
On a small island, when a boy scout decides to abandon his camp, his team and authorities make it a mission to find him before a major storm hits.
Colourful, eccentric, and emotionally precise. A modern coming-of-age fairytale that ranks among Wes Anderson’s very best work, arguably within his top three films. Every formal element is working in harmony here: acting, directing, cinematography, editing, music, sound design, and mixing come together with remarkable clarity of purpose.
Anderson’s visual language is unmistakable. The warm yet contrastingly cold colour palette establishes the film’s delicate emotional balance, while meticulous framing – often centring characters within their environments, occasionally pushing them to the edges of the frame – reinforces themes of isolation, belonging, and self-definition. His signature camera movements, symmetrical compositions, and carefully curated design are all present and purposeful. Everything serves the story.
As for the cast, Anderson always gets the best at roles that couldn’t be more suitable for them: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban, Jared Gilman, and Kara Hayward. Their performances match the precision of the craft. The eccentric adult characters drift between authority and absurdity, while the children possess an intellectual and emotional clarity that quietly exposes adult incompetence. This inversion is key to the film’s tone and meaning.
Understanding the script’s intent is essential. While Moonrise Kingdom is a coming-of-age story, it is also a satirical examination of adult buffoonery seen through the eyes of children who already understand the world far better than they are supposed to. It is a film where every creative decision feels intentional, cohesive, and necessary. A whimsical surface conceals a deeply thoughtful meditation on youth, identity, and emotional refuge – proof that Anderson’s carefully constructed worlds can still feel profoundly human.
While it shares the same subgenre with Stand by Me (1986), the comparison ends there. Anderson’s film operates in an entirely different register – stylised, ironic, and tender without sentimentality. Let’s see how different (following review)…
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