Captain Fantastic reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews Captain Fantastic. A father who has brought up his family in isolation is forced to return to civilisation, challenging his ideas of what it means to be a parent.
Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film - below. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.
www.bbc.co.uk/5...
Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.

[@diana7756]

it's a wonderful movie. a bit like little miss sunshine.

[@alephnull5241]

I am on a rampage going through all the reviews Mark ever did on movies I watched. Fantastic reviewer. Very eloquent, picks up all the right points. I am impressed and a the same grieved, because I missed someone like Mark for most of my conscious life as I was watching movies. Very good commentary and reviews.

[@rossshiell9049]

loved that final shot - simple, but effective. where would I go to champion a sequel that charts George McKay's character's journey?

[@ZeppelinBigFan]

The final shot was absolutely beautiful. Came here specifically to say that. The way he looks at his children, and then out the window with a faint longing and a sigh. Brilliant!

[@theolamp5312]

I first ignored this film because I thought it was a comic book movie (bad choice for a title ?). I later checked out a review and went to see it. I loved it. One thing I would like to add, is that all the child actors were great. There is one scene near the end of the movie which will have you crying and smiling at the same time. People who like this film should also see Hunt For The Wilderpeople. Both films show an influence by Wes Anderson.

[@ameliorated]

they were all amazing child actors. very believable

[@megamoviez]

Theo Lamp Both this and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are in my top ten of the year so far

[@saelaird]

The final scene, to be more specific, the final shot... is amazing. Just such an original ending on a long scene with no dialogue.

[@mssusanmarie]

I've finally just watched this movie, and it's wonderful. I've read a few reviews, and weirdly, unless I'm very wrong everyone is missing something fundamental. That is that everything after the father drives away alone is a fantasy. It's his fantasy of what he wished would happen. Think about it.

[@myperfectworld27]

Yes, I've thought of that too!!! I guess it's up to our own interpretation of whether the end section was real or fantasy.

[@johnPaul-qn3dg]

One of my favourite films and a rare multi-rewatchable

[@0axel078]

Really good film! Saw it a few months ago at my city's local indie theater in Kentucky.

[@Daiska_Plays]

I'd love a prequel made of this movie. I want to see how they got there to shun society and the early years of the kids growing up. How the mother was part of it. And just because I loved the movie so much, I want to see them adjusting and their life after in a sequel . Hel, I want a whole series like game of thrones. This was too good for just a couple hours.

[@huamulan9279]

Saw it, loved it! Agree with everything Mark said.

[@persgodiva]

Such a great movie :)

[@Morbidia]

Fantastic as always Mark best film reviewer

[@HowardWimshurst]

I saw the father as the antagonist pretty much from the get-go. His wife is in hospital - they are exploiting a care system which they have done nothing to contribute towards, and yet this does not weigh on them at all - they still strut about with so much self righteousness, looking down on anyone they come across. Later he trains his children to be shoplifters in a scene which is meant to be some light hearted comedic relief - more exploitation on a system they have never contributed towards. They leach on civilisation when it suits them. He is infuriatingly arrogant. Plus i feel like the writer is doing everything he can think of to try and save this silly man from our critical judgement - best example is that absolutely ridiculous scene where he quizzes his son on the bill of rights - one of the worst and most blatant strawmen i have ever witnessed being set up. Oh and in a scene which is meant to be “woke” he lets his kids drink wine - ignoring the simple fact that alchohol can wreck an infant body and do permanent liver damage - there’s a good reason why we have an age limit there but it frames it as being woke. Anyway... However, the film almost redeems itself in the third act which brings brings his world crashing down (i’m holding back on spoilers but if you have watched it you will know what scene i mean)... but then the writer flip flops back on the side of the father when his indoctrinated children change their minds and instantly forgive him for almost getting one of them killed / paralysed. And just like that, all is forgotten and an important lesson is ignored. Idk... i understand that the writer is trying to stay in the middle and see the good and bad sides of the family’s lifestyle but... you gotta have some very radical world view to buy into his world. That being said, i gotta give the film praise because it made me think and reflect a lot. That’s my hot take, i’d be interested to see if anyone agrees / disagrees

[@leviirwin4393]

The grandparents pay for the healthcare their daughter gets. They're not leeching off the care system, they're leeching off the grandparents, if you can call allowing someones parents too help their daughter in a life or death scenario leeching. Just because he believes he is right and is willing to say why doesn't make him arrogant. He recognises he is wrong when he eventually allows the grandparents to look after the children. The amount of wine he allowed his children to drink would not damage their liver in the slightest its absurd to think it would or else like it was stated in the movie there would be a severe need for liver donors in European countries because wine is a digestif and is healthy to have with very meaty meals. The children have their own sense of responsibility which is why they don't blame their father for what happened to the daughter when she was almost paralysed. Another thing which is evident throughout this entire movie is that the children are not indoctrinated, they have the freedom to read about and learn about all different world views and develop their own morality. Much more evident examples of indoctrination of children can be found in our very normal society such as parents forcing their kids to be christian and do everything by the bible. I don't necessarily think it is fair to say that to buy into this lifestyle you have to have a very radical world view, which is pretty much the reason your comment got me all fired up enough to respond to you with an essay.

[@Evanpurdy]

Levi Irwin couldn’t of said it any better

[@AUTUMN-DARK]

Obviously the way most people in 1st world countries live is disgusting and this family were living in a way that often went to an opposite extreme. but by the end lessons were learned and compromises were made whilst holding on to the essence of free thinking and good family values..... Anyone unhappy with parts of society such as wastefulness, greed, indoctrination and the overall short sighted destruction of our home and personal freedoms would of rode an emotional roller-coaster watching this movie as the family presented itself as often wholly ideal but with many other issues and problems along the way because of course perfection isn't possible and as viewers we could feel the ideal moments but also the anxiety as the more extreme aspects presented themselves. Basically living more sustainably and harmonioulsy with nature, bringing up kids to be able to fend for themselves and think for themselves, understand where there food comes from and remain respectful to others is a good aspect of what we see and I would certainly strive for... But what we are dealing with on screen is a father who is not perfect and has even made some big mistakes but as far as I can tell has raised his children in a better way than a vast majority of folks... And even though there will of course be people who have raised their children even better they will have not done a perfect job... The move to attending school was a massive part of the story... It didn't come with a decision to suddenly start a city life and takeaways for dinner or junk food from supermarkets whilst promoting mass consumption ... It was just a huge change in and of itself for him and his children to make but a beneficial one I would wager.. And the boy becoming a man aspect... At the beginning it was shown at that extreme end of the spectrum with a hands on killing of a deer but by the end of the film the moment came naturally and not because of a ritualistic moment which would present another mistake on the fathers part but again, he wasn't perfect... when it did come it came with love and that moment of goodbye between son and father in the airport was a goodbye forever... A goodbye forever to his little boy and a greeting to his adult son... It was not done in words but subtley understood due to the bond between son and father... A bond that was only that strong because despite his father's misgivings he was without a doubt a dedicated and loving father who had given his son a wonderful childhood... Certainly compared to most children I'd say anyway. Pretty sure that was the simple premise of the film and of course there was much more covered in it such as mental health and death and love as well as a range of moral questions which can only be awnsered by the individual watching as morals are of course subjective but a food for thought film definetley... I think there's a lot for people to take from this film... The losing your mother thing was big for me but the whole family thing In general was big for me as I was an orphan and currently not married or have children so even the best moments were a sad kind of happiness due to wishing I had such luck 😂...i honestly laughed and cryed at the same time during many moments of the film... I thought this film flipping rocked basically 👏

[@HowardWimshurst]

​@@AUTUMN-DARK That's an interesting perspective. i think I might have been wrong to criticize the director/writer/creators of the film. They presented ideas and they pushed the character to the extreme, and it's in seeing someone on that end of the political spectrum that we learn about ourselves. I know that I learned a lot about myself from this film and formed opinions that I didn't know I had before. So that to me is a good film. It doesn't really matter that I disagreed with MANY of the points I guess... Do you have to agree with a film for it to be a good film? That doesn't seem like a good criteria. It is also interesting that you found the film emotionally cathartic from your background as being an orphan. Although I can't experience it first hand in the way you did, I can empathise with that happy/sad feeling.

[@edmann1820]

Having thought a bit more about Plato's republic, I think you might have actually hit upon something in your original post. Plato's ideal society is where everyone is a philosopher. They spend all day reading and thinking about the meaning of life and improving themselves. But how would such a society function? Who would make the food, the goods, etc? Plato's answer was simple, slaves. He thought that Germans being larger, hairier and more stupid were ordained by the Gods to be workhorses for the intellectually superior Greeks. So in fact, the only way for Plato's society of philosopher kings to function is by exploiting the labour of others. I don't think the family really fits that bill, but as that's what you see, perhaps it was intentional.

[@LavenderSkyla]

A really deep movie. I wish there were more like it.

[@83RockaRolla]

I've heard somewhere that Elton John got the Inspiration for Captain Fantastic from the "Do Not Adjust Your Set" character (played by David Jason) of the same name.

[@saxbend]

Road movie? You mean the sort that would star Bob Hope and Bing Crosby?

[@backdoorbutcher]

On tonight BBC2 Midnight.

[@MoondustOverdose]

Really makes you wonder why that Roger Ebert reviewer gave this a 1.5/4 stars.

[@bbbushhh]

Gonna put it out there....I have a feeling the reviewer objective to the strong positive male characters....

[@5easy]

Adam Azlee i just read that review, the critic didnt even know how many kids he had

[@ameliorated]

but why did they title the film captain fantastic?

[@GZ4lyf]

His wife reffered to him as captain fantastic

[@jamesthain980]

Sounds like a great film!

[@jaroslavkorbel8385]

First time I disagree with Mark, I was actually kind of hoping he would point out the incredible kitsch and simplistic use of entry-level ideologies the filmmakers just keep hitting you on the head with. And what about the terrible exposition through dialogue like in the clip used? I genuinely thought it is a bad-crafted film, although I am aware I'm in the minority with my thoughts on this.

[@zachmanni9156]

I second this!

[@bbkingzor]

Whenever a film deals with philosophy or academic endeavors of any kind, a person who has actually studied academically will immediately see that the filmmakers only understand the subject on a very basic and shallow level. This is common in film. Take almost any film where actors play professors to see examples of this. Filmmakers are filmmakers, they are not academics (usually). In order words, nothing new. The question then becomes if one should dismiss the film on this basis. Personally, I found this particular film did a better than average job of talking about philosophical matters, although nothing groundbreaking. But I don't expect the film to do this. What you say, apparently as a result of the films failure to be better than most other films when dealing with philosophy, is that the film is therefore badly crafted? Exposition through dialog is usually how expositions work. How exactly do you find the film poorly crafted? If you are indeed serious in your critique, I think you should substantiate your claim with a bit more information.

[@michaeldonovan4793]

best film of the year...

[@patrickmarkey7020]

Captain Fantastic.And that's what I am doing tonight

[@msmith120]

A lot of stuff in this movie was creepy. Homeschooling is okay, I've got no problems with that. The little kid with a shrine to Pol Pot was uber creepy. The guy murdered about 2 million of his own people, and the dad says nothing. The kids came off as hostile in a lot of ways. And the grandfather was right about them having no qualms against stealing from the grocery store being wrong. And though I completely agree he should have followed his daughter's wish to be cremated, I also know that, as a parent, I'd be damned if I'd let somebody flush my daughter's ashes down a toilet. The woman had mental problems. Anyway, this movie reminds me of the Mosquito Coast, where the dad starts out with a noble idea and goes off the deep end. And the ending was not really believable. Anyway, good acting.

[@thomtaylor6570]

The idea that the Dad's methods were flawed was sort of the whole point. He allowed the kids to think what they wanted and come to their own conclusions, hence why he doesn't criticise the Pol Pot shrine (despite showing signs of disapproval). This method of parenting is shown by the movie to be heavily flawed when his daughter nearly dies and he clearly decides to change (symbolised by shaving his beard), hence why by the end of the movie the characters reach a middle ground between the father's original method and the Grandfathers. As to the ashes, don't you have to be mentally stable to write a will? If you're proven otherwise I thought that responsibility was given to a proxy.

[@mizofan]

Pol Pot was of course supported by USA and UK as he was opposed by Vietnam.

[@DS-Pakaemon]

Man, that's the whole point. We live in the "Real world". This family doesn't.

[@Cquinncer]

Finally watched it tonight and thought it was very, very good. See a lot of comments about it being the best film of 2016. I assume that the people saying this have not watched "The Founder".

[@Cquinncer]

@@SpokerDuck Awesome man! Delighted you liked it.

[@anndowney6471]

Love Mark Kermode. Best film reviewer ever. (Except for his devotion to The Exorcist)

[@Kariakas]

Very good movie, different and with believable well written characters.

Peter Bradshaw Guardian "There’s a meaty whiff of phoney-baloney in this fatuous and tiresome movie, replete with forced emotional crises and wrong notes, topped off with an excruciatingly unearned, sentimental ending. It’s a low-cal version of Peter Weir’s 1986 movie The Mosquito Coast, starring someone who is essentially a cross between Charles Manson and Captain von Trapp."

[@nicholasdickens2801]

It was a very touching and fun film. Rather politically simplistic but it's an American movie so you aren't going to get a huge deal of detail about that.

[@ThomasJohnHyde]

I found the film charming but the political themes were heavy-handed and nauseating in places.

[@Depressedsunset404]

​@@edeliteedelite1961They definitely took side especially with religion

[@frentury]

sounds like an interesting film

[@strangefacekid]

If you're looking for Pinko propoganda, I'd like to say "loosely vieled" however it is quite an offront, it is nothing but anti establishment propoganda aimed at the new leftist/Socialist sympathisers infecting any campus near you.

[@TheFlyingPlectrum]

The last scene put a lie to the idea it's "pinko propaganda". Nice film well acted.

[@georgemills-burrows7052]

if someone uses the term 'pinko propaganda' unironically, you know to agree with the exact opposite of their opinion

[@DarthBear356]

What about the children in the movie???

[@mizofan]

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the greatest album of the pop-rock era.

[@theolamp5312]

I loved this film, and the child actors were so great in it.

[@SalamiKing7]

The movie’s good and Viggo’s great in it. But I found it a little pretentious and often times cringey. Too many of the child characters were also kind of unlikable.

[@TheProfessional007]

Best movie ever

[@ryanknox1976]

First

[@ryanknox1976]

for the 3d time today

[@ryanknox1976]

You hate us, cus you aint us

[@DumbBanana]

Superficial review

[@miiiikku]

I just didn't believe they would survive and thrive in the woods.

[@azerotrlz]

terrible movie. extremely superficial in its content, no cinematographic value, one-dimensional characters. i felt robbed in west end.

[@michaeldonovan4793]

wow, i feel sorry for you...as a human being...as a man...as an example of complete and utter stupidity...you must have never left a parking lot or eaten away from a restaurant, ever...hands down, the best and most beautiful film of the year...

[@crazydiamond3065]

is this out of sync or is it just me? good review by the way

[@DoctorHerbstein]

It's definitely out of sync, but not by much.

[@saelaird]

3 frames I'd guess (editor here), not everyone would pick that up. 5 frames and almost everyone can tell. 7 frames and it's just clearly wrong.