Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- A Critique

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) is a stop motion animation movie based on the book of the same name by Ronald Dahl, who also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The plot revolves around Mr. Fox, an ex heist master who lets his confidence reign free above all else. Because of his ego, Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) makes a mistake on a heist with his wife, Felicity Fox, and they become trapped in a cage. As they face certain death, Mrs. Fox reveals she's pregnant and tells her husband that if they survive, Mr. Fox needs to promise he will never try to steal ever again. Mr. Fox agrees and they dig their way to safety.

Mr. Fox does not keep his promise. Cut to a few years later, and the couple now have a young son, Ash Fox. He's described as 'different' throughout the entire movie. Mr. Fox ignores his son up until the end of the story, only when Ash 'proves' himself does his father finally give him the time of day. Time and time again, Mr. Fox proves himself to be selfish and narcissistic. He almost gets all the other animals killed on multiple occassions and yet he's never truly apologetic. He isn't sorry to his wife that he broke his promise, he's only sorry he got caught. Yet even in the end of the movie, Mr. Fox is still celebrated as the "Fantastic Mr. Fox".