It’s 1965, and 12 year-old Sam is at summer camp. While there, he meets an eccentric but magnetic girl named Suzy. They become friends, but over the next year their friendship grows more intense After running away into the woods near the camp, they must contend with a storm, ruthless and clueless authority figures and their own character flaws.

Directed by Wes Anderson (“The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), “Moonrise Kingdom” took the film world by storm in 2012. The critically acclaimed film earned a healthy profit and was declared one of Anderson’s best films. The performances, especially those of the kids, attracted positive attention and charmed audiences with cute eccentricities. Unfortunately, I wasn’t moved, even as a fan of most of Anderson’s other works.

Like nearly all of his films, the production design, costumes and general look and feel of the movie are breathtaking. More than a humorist, Anderson made a name for himself as a visual artist. The visual aspects of “Moonrise Kingdom” might not be as in-your-face and entertainingly unorthodox as “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” but Anderson and company recreated mid-60s New England with such endearing precision that you’ll want to pack your bags and go to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard in a heartbeat.

However ambitious “Moonrise Kingdom” is, it seems like Anderson forgot his most common ingredient: charm.

After a terrific set of opening scenes, the undercooked plot reared its ugly head and my interest took a plunge it never quite recovered from. Contrary to the consensus, I was not impressed by newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Like far too many young actors, they seemed to have not come into their own. There were many scenes that had the potential to be cute and charming, but Gilman and Hayward were emotionally aloof and devoid of charisma.

However, I place this blame on Anderson’s inability to direct children. Even worse, the script was quite sparse. Very few things of any importance actually happened and viewers were left with was a series of vignettes that were seemingly included to appease Anderson’s hardcore hipster acolytes.

I desperately wanted to like “Moonrise Kingdom,” and it certainly wasn’t lacking ambition, but that can only go so far. Even with all the spectacle and lovingly crafted aesthetics, it lacked the heart I’ve seen in so many other Anderson films. It was awkward, tedious and sadly not very funny or charming. It was a disappointment for me and I don’t understand what the fuss is all about.