Review: Isle of Dogs

Chief and Atari (voices of Bryan Cranston and Koyu Rankin)

Director/Screenwriter: Wes Anderson
Voices of: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some violent images
Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Theatrical Release Date: April 13, 2018 (wide); currently in limited release
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Clip: "What's Your Favorite Food?"

Isle of Dogs is, in a way, a summation of director/writer Wes Anderson's cinematic works, from his first feature film, Rushmore, to the 2014 Oscar-winning The Grand Budapest Hotel.  All of Anderson's films are synonymous with a certain brand of eccentricity and creativity that is unique to him.  As varied as they are, even a casual filmgoer can easily spot a Wes Anderson film, whether it's animated or live-action -- and not just because he often enlists the same talent (such as actor Bill Murray and composer Alexandre Desplate).  Anderson's style is unique, and he typically succeeds (see The Grand Budapest Hotel) but I will admit I'm not a fan of all of his movies (see the criminally overrated Moonrise Kingdom).  Thankfully, Isle of Dogs succeeds in just about every way that it can. 

Anderson has returned to stop-motion animation (after Fantastic Mr. Fox) with Isle of Dogs, which took four years to make.  In case you aren't aware, stop-motion animation is extremely time-consuming.  Every movement of the characters and settings is photographed; in one day, one a few seconds of film may have been captured.  Because of the effort that goes into it, the temptation is to love a stop-motion film and not be too critical of it.  Thankfully, I don't feel as though as I need to mince words when it comes to Dogs, as it is undeniably charming and as Wes Anderson-like as a film can get.  

The movie takes place 20 years in the future in a fictionalized Japan, where the evil mayor has sentenced all dogs to Trash Island (i.e. the Isle of Dogs); he claims that the canine flu and other viruses that the dogs have obtained are incurable and, as a cat lover, he has so qualms in sending all dogs away.  The mayor's ward, his 12-year-old orphaned distant-cousin Atari (Koyu Rankin), goes to Trash Island in search of his beloved dog, Spots.  There, he meets a a group of abandoned dogs who attempt to help him find Spots.  The leader, Chief, is a stray who is voiced to gravelly perfection by Bryan Cranston.  Chief's pals are voiced by Jeff Goldblum, Murray, Bob Balaban, and Ed Norton (another Anderson regular).  While the voices are recognizable, just like those of George Clooney and others in Fantastic Mr. Fox, like the stop-motion predecessor, in Isle of Dogs the famous voice only enhance the dialogue and make the film that much more enjoyable. 

Admittedly, I have a soft/weak spot for movies with talking animals, especially when they end up being the heroes of the story (although Atari can also be considered a hero).  The dogs and other animals featured in this film are perhaps even more human than those actual humans, and are given more depth and emotions than them.  As specified in the note at the beginning of the movie, all the animals speak English and most human characters speak in Japanese -- typically with no translations.  (Those human words that in English are either from Frances McDormand's mayoral translator or from Greta Gerwig's pro-dog American exchange student).  These [perhaps] signifies that what the dogs are saying is more important.    

The plot is not exceedingly clever, but the jokes and overall eccentricity -- the Wes Anderson-ness of it all -- are what make the film truly exceptional.  That said, I have heard some critics say that this movie misappropriates Japanese culture.  I can surely understand that, as most of the Japanese characters featured in this movie are made out to be either villains, one-dimensional, or both.  But Anderson himself has explained -- or, at least, implied -- how the Japanese culture depicted here is not is a fictionalization of authentic Japanese culture.  He does pay tribute to it a number of ways, such as in the opening drumming and using both Japanese and English in the credits and all words seen on screen.  However, if you're watching this movie and focusing too much on minute details and authenticity, then you're missing the point of the entertaining movie featuring likable, winsome dogs (and a few people).        


Spot the Aspie!: 
Yes, even in an animated film with talking animals, one can find characters on the autism spectrum.  One can say that ambitious Atari, who is the human protagonist (Chief is really the protagonist), is on the spectrum.  Atari seems to interact more easily with animals, and has developed a special bond with his dog, Spots.  While boy-dog bonds are hardly unique to those of us with ASD (autism spectrum disorders), from what I can ascertain (thanks to a short, well-placed flashback), Atari's interactions are minimal -- perhaps because he is not as comfortable around them as is he around animals (I can 100% relate to that).    




Grade: A-