Nick thinks he found the secret to a perfect fiancée in a magic hole, but some things are better left buried. The Fox is quirky, dark, and utterly wild.
This movie is certainly not for everyone, but I had way too much fun with The Fox. A movie that involves magic holes, talking animals, and relationship sabotage, you expect a certain level of weird, but this film takes that expectation and really leans into it. It is quirky, twisted, and unapologetically strange – a combination that hit the truly sweet spot for me.
The heart of the film is the dynamic between Nick and Kori. Jai Courtney absolutely steals the show here. He plays Nick with perfect lovable energy. He is someone who is perhaps a bit too comfortable with his privilege but genuinely desperate to keep his world from crumbling. And it is hard not to root for him.
His chemistry with Emily Browning is off the charts, but in the most fascinatingly uncomfortable way. They are great together in the sense that they portray a terrible couple who clearly are not happy, even if they try to tell themselves they are. You can feel the cracks in the foundation of their relationship from the jump, which makes Nick’s descent into supernatural desperation feel more than earned.
Then, of course, there is the Fox. When Olivia Colman provides the voice for a rogue animal, you know you’re in for a treat. The decision to have the Fox and the Magpie look like actual puppets – rather than hyper-realistic CGI – was a stroke of genius. They don’t try to look real, and that’s exactly why they work. It leans into the film’s storybook-gone-wrong aesthetic. It gives the movie a tactile, handcrafted feel that grounds the more absolutely ridiculous plot points – of which there are many. You need to suspend your beliefs for this one, but when you do, I promise it will make it worth the crazy ride.
The film’s greatest strength is its self-awareness. The Fox knows exactly what it is and doesn’t shy away from its own absurdity for a single second. It manages to balance being a hilarious comedy with being a genuinely smart exploration of human nature. At its core, it’s a dark meditation on relationships and the toxic desire to fix our partners. It poses the question: if you could actually mold someone into your perfect version, would you even recognize the person you fell in love with?
The Fox is a reminder that no one is ever going to be perfect, but they might just be perfect for you, flaws and all. The new Kori that emerges from the hole is everything Nick thought he wanted, but the strange new quirks that follow provide some of the best moments in the film. It becomes a be careful what you wish for tale that avoids being preachy by staying firmly planted in the bizarre.
While I realize this movie won’t be for everyone – its brand of dark humor is definitely a niche – it resonated with me completely. It’s a blast from start to finish. I’m staying vague for fear of spoiling the final act, but the resolution is as smart as it is twisted – a truly brilliant ending. I loved every minute of this chaotic ride, and honestly, I cannot wait to revisit it.
About The Fox
Nick (Jai Courtney), affable heir to a wealthy rural landowner, discovers his fiancée, Kori (Emily Browning), is cheating on him and wants nothing more than to just fix the problem. One night, he captures a rogue Fox (Olivia Colman), and she offers him a trade-off: if Nick lets her live, the Fox will help him save his relationship. All he has to do is push Kori into a magic hole with the power to change her into the perfect partner. Nick follows the Fox’s advice and the Kori who re-emerges seems to be everything he ever wanted. Until her strange new quirks make him question his decision.
The Fox played at SXSW 2026.