I'll take an entertaining movie over an artsy movie any day. Calling this movie "artsy" is the only way I can possibly conceive of this moving having such a high rating. I mean, I get it, the directors name is Wes Anderson and because of his big following it is going to instantly get great reviews. I admit that Anderson is a talented man - but I just don't get it with this movie. The movie looks great like all his other movies, but aside from that everything else is just *bad*. There is no chemistry between the main characters - I was not convinced at all that they were actually falling in love. The other characters simply aren't very interesting or even likable. This movie should definitely not be labelled as a 'comedy' as there aren't even any funny parts in it. It is a dreadfully boring drama that aside form the usual visuals is entirely uninteresting. Then there is the infamous beach scene. I actually felt disgusted as I watched that scene. I have no idea what Anderson was aiming for his viewers to get out of that scene - in any case, I guess he succeeded if his objective was awkwardness and felling sick. The only people who will like this movie are die-hard fans of anderson who believe his **** doesn't stink and people who can't find it in themselves to honestly critique artsy indie films.

I loved the aesthetic of this film. The directing was amazing. But those two best parts of the film were also its worst. In some way, it was too good. Too good to be true. But it was realistic. There was something very wrong with this movie, though I can't put my finger on it.The characters had no depth to them, but that was expected from a film made for a preteen audience. It also looked like it was shot by a twelve year old, but that didn't bother me at all. Everything regarding this film wanted you to think "twelve year olds". The film left me a bit melancholic, never having experienced something like that. Surprisingly, this was Wes Anderson's first movie I ever watched, but that may be something very bad, my expectations for his other movies now being very high indeed.

'Moonrise Kingdom (2012)' is a tedious and tiresome affair that feels like a parody of Anderson's signature style rather than something organically evolved from it. It is a poorly-paced, pseudo-surrealist folk-tale that seems to slowly slog past its ninety-minute running-time (feeling closer to three hours) and doesn't have even remotely enough story or character development to fill that short time. It's a bit of a shame since the writer-director has such a celebrated and usually off-kilter yet enjoyable presence, but it doesn't seem like his heart was in this one or, if it was, maybe his head wasn't quite in the right place. 4/10

MOONRISE KINGDOM portrays the unfair reality of real life and the rawness of human emotion, within a fictional setting and unconventional design. Kingdom oozes entertainment, comedy and joy - it leaves you with a satisfied feeling, while still grounding you in reality. Anderson's contrast of gritty themes and quirky, classical and almost silly at times design is unique and gorgeous to admire. His genius seeps out of the film. MOONRISE KINGDOM is wonderful for children and adults alike, reminding everyone of their humanity and love, in this innocent yet exciting and adventurous experience.