The Swan

Wes Anderson has four new short-films on Netflix. I think they're all based on Roald Dahl stories. Last night I watched the one called "The Swan," and I really had no idea what I was in for. I guess I had expected something comical, with melancholy undercurrents, like most of Anderson's work. Instead, the story is one of the most diabolical horror stories I've ever heard, diabolical because it is so realistic, so believable - describing the ordinary way in which young boys can do terrible things to each other. And yet, because it is expressed through Anderson's cute, stagey, pastel-colored style, there is a distancing effect which somehow makes the piece hit harder than a more realistic style might have. It has the power of a poem, or a song. The magical-realist ending concludes the piece on a mysterious, ambiguous note which can be read in different ways. My god, it's good. So sad, so powerful.

A young boy, Peter Watson, is harassed and essentially kidnapped by two vicious, heartless, gun-armed bullies. Peter is intelligent and a keen studier of wildlife, especially birds. His torment is heightened when the bullies turn the aim of their gun on a beautiful swan.

Another of Wes Anderson's four-episode short story-series, all adaptations of Roald Dahl stories. The others in the series are The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Rat Catcher and Poison.

Wes Anderson adapting a Roald Dahl story seems a perfect combination: the clever innocence of Dahl's writing, Anderson's whimsical, stylised direction. It's been done before, to great effect; 'Fantastic Mr Fox' (2009) was brilliant.

Here it works too, with Dahl's emotional story of innocence-meets-thuggery set to Anderson's clever backdrops and special effects and imbued with the usual Anderson whimsicalness and child-like atmosphere. Rupert Friend is great as the narrator.

Not perfect though. The film seemed set up for a powerful ending but this never came, just fizzling out. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was similar - great journey, lacklustre destination. Hopefully this isn't a characteristic of all these films.

The Swan is heartbreaking but ultimately powerful stuff, a story of never backing down or letting monstrous people win. It's uneasy viewing and definitely the darkest of the Wes Anderson Roald Dahl shorts in the most rewarding way possible.

Rupert Friend essentially carries this, narrating everything with almost no support until Fiennes' closing words that adds real power to it. Until then Friend is phenomenal, narrating at a fast speed with a real pain to his voice as he describes what is clearly a very painful memory.

Wes Anderson's direction works so well here, the whimsical world created contrasts so effectively against the dark nature and it's generally just so stunning. This fully artificial world that acts like a play is endlessly watchable and each short has been so unique.

Interesting, engaging and calmer than I would've thought. Rupert Friend is wonderful since being in Homeland awhile ago, it's great that he's had multiple roles in Wes projects! I love this one superb scenery as always and quite well made! Only a little about a Swan. The field is great, writing is smooth, and these Wes shorts are complex a lot to take in. Not a lot needs to be said but I'll try a nice mix of southern, action, storytelling, and somber. Not sure how anyone could hate on Wes projects except Rat Catcher that one was very peculiar even most the movies are all fantastic pieces of cinema.

The Swan.

A small brilliant boy is tormented by two large idiotic bullies.

First of all, I almost forgot it was a short movie until it finished !

I was fully involved in this magical story and the way it was presented that I'd call it lazy for not capturing what's happening and instead telling what's happening through beautiful frames.

It may look lazy but I know it must be even harder to make such as a thing, especially nowadays when you simply can make it normal, Wes Anderson is beyond that.

The production design was stunning as always and I enjoyed every minute of it, I need more of these colorful narratives by Wes.