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Wes Anderson´s still got it.
I´ts not gonna become my personal favourite from his excelent (and über-personal) filmography but he hasn´t lost his touch for sureal-lovable-depressing comedies.
All the usual suspects (meaning cast) are back too but the new additions to the ensemble don´t get in the way of Anderson´s magic. Edward Norton has a strong heavy part in the movie as a tenderer and more likable Jason Schwartzman (he also has a part, short but memorable). Tilda Swinton has two swift but effective moments while Bruce Willis gets far more screentime, spotlight and plot than he should but fights the good fight against his own mannerisms and fame. The kids do more than an alright work here, also.
Frances McDorman and Bill Murray get the worse part of the deal with soft characters and little relevance, they function as deuteragonists and you will probably forget about them most of the time. It´s a shame because I love both´s work and I think Murray could have added a lot more to the movie (and not only because of his history in Anderson´s movies but also). Both their characters are just sketches and have no development whatsoever. Again, a shame. But, well, ok. It´s only my fault for expecting another thing.
This movie remembered me a lot to Rushmore. It´s set in a wilder setting, obviously, but it has some of the same elements: Kids trying to live like adults and adults failing at life like kids, structured simplified enviroments where odd people thrive and a weird love history. They are not the same movie, of course. Moonrise Kingdom has a strong element of wonder and magic (like 'Live Aquatic' had) and it also works as a very explicit fable. As in 'The Darjeeling Limited' we have here people running away from their lives but this time they are kids and they know what are they looking for and why. The girl´s house looks like it will become an important setting for the movie in the beginning (like cpt. Zissou´s ship) but it didn´t... well another thing where my expectations failed me.
Yeoman´s cinematography is beautiful. It has the cozy and sweet magic of an old familiar movie in Super-8 film while having all the scope and detail of a modern work. He and Anderson always work together and it shows.
It also has some weak pieces in the overall machinery. The First part of the movie is wonderful, the second it´s just a repetition of the first but it goes farther and further (yeah! both! suck it grammar nazi) but it works really nice. Then comes the third part and it does´nt feel right anymore. The surreal elements don´t work as they should, the focus changes to Willis' character when he should have been way in the background (plot, character and acting-wise) and everything clicks to a happy ending way too easily. It just feels forced.
You will probably forget the ending soon but you will never forget the two child protagonists running from all and everyone. You wont forget the woods or the beach.
8/10
