As a kid who grew up reading too many books, Roald Dahl was my favorite author. I would spend my school break immersing myself in Dahl’s books to escape the hot Arizona summers. I’ve read most of his short stories, along with all of his books, at least two times. I was excited and hesitant when I heard that Wes Anderson was adopting four of his short stories on Netflix this year. Anderson’s best work was his adaptation of FANTASTIC MR. FOX, yet his work as of late (see my review of ASTEROID CITY) has left me feeling not smart enough to understand.
I’m happy to report that WES ANDERSON’S ROALD DAHL COLLECTION is pleasant enough to watch each of the four shorts and nowhere as atrocious as his alienating ASTEROID CITY.
Here’s the breakdown:
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR 🤩
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR is the best in Dahl’s collection of six short stories from his novel. Yet, no matter how fast the actors say their lines in a monotone tone, it’s long when watching it on the screen. I would’ve liked more time with HENRY SUGAR pulling off the cons and less about the setup. But that’s not the story that Dahl was telling. As is, you can’t help but smile at this heartfelt Robin Hood-inspired tale.Â
POISON 😊
Outside of a flat ending, POISON captures how Dahl’s work can be incredibly descriptive yet impeccably fast-paced. You don’t need to be a Slytherin to enjoy this seventeen-minute short.
THE SWAN 😊
THE SWAN is a bullying tale that takes flight in the second half.
THE RATCATCHER 🤮
Despite having the coolest stop-motion animation out of the four shorts, THE RATCATCHER is easily the weakest entry. It’s not Anderson’s fault, as the story’s characters are all revolting and not in a fun way like MATILDA or THE WITCHES.Â
The four Roald Dahl shorts are available to stream on Netflix.
