Isle of Dogs

Voices of: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Kunichi Nomura, Akira Takayama, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Tilda Swinton, Liev Schreiber, Anjelica Houston, Ken Watanabe, Fisher Steven, Courtney B. Vance
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
2018

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After a dog flu epidemic spreads throughout Japan, all the dogs are banished to Trash Island. There, a young boy (Koyu Rankin) arrives searching for his dog.

Review:

Tim: I've grown to appreciate Wes Anderson more and more over the years. His films are always a bit zany and unique. Here, delivers another stop-motion animated movie (after Fantastic Mr. Fox). This dystopian movie featuring a cast mostly made up of dogs is certainly not what you would expect. Although the whole film was a bit odd, Anderson delivers enough of a worthwhile story for this to be an enjoyable movie.

I have to admit, I wasn't really a fan of the overall story. The idea of the dog flu in Japan, banishing dogs- but then the whole political aspect of the story felt overly complex. I'm sure Anderson had some deeper intentions with this story, but some of it was lost on me. I think he could have told a story with more focus, instead of populating his film with too many characters and too many aspects of the story that don't matter as much. I wasn't surprised to see some controversy over potential cultural appropriation and stereotyping. There were a few moments that felt mildly uncomfortable, but overall, this film felt quite appropriate. We go deep into Japanese culture, but there is a mix of cultures throughout the film. I don't believe Anderson had any malicious intent and I believe he did right by the story and the cultures represented.

One of the keys to this film that really elevated the movie is the voice cast. It's hard to describe how good they are. They take characters who are sometimes underwhelming and make them memorable. This all starts with Bryan Cranston. I will struggle mightily to describe how much I loved his voice performance here. I couldn't imagine another actor playing Chief. His tone and inflection are perfect and it was a complete joy to hear him in this film. I thought Edward Norton did a great job as well. His timing was impeccable. Jeff Goldblum and Bill Murray added some solid work as well, although I wish they had more to say. Similarly, Scarlett Johansson is terrific (her voice is so unique), but she doesn't have anywhere near enough to do. I loved hearing her voice through the dog, but it felt like she was vastly underutilized. That's a complaint I have for almost everyone outside of Cranston. Liev Screiber doesn't show up until pretty late in the movie, but he does a great job. Harvey Keitel was great also, but again, he doesn't get a big enough role. I really wish Anderson would have cut some of the characters. The voice cast as a whole is amazing, but the talent really doesn't get enough opportunities to shine. That was a problematic aspect of the film.

The other thing that I really enjoyed about this movie is that Anderson infuses it with his unique brand of humor. While the overall story is a bit out there, there are all these wonderful little moments that are quirky and made me laugh (rarely out loud, but they were funny nonetheless). One example is at the very beginning when the two groups of dogs debate fighting over the garbage. Anderson adds all these little touches, they little flourishes that hold our attention and bring real humor to the film. The story didn't wow me, but I felt myself engaged in the film, waiting for the next clever moment. I loved how Anderson brought real intelligence to the script.

I do want to highlight how incredible the film looks. We don't get nearly enough stop-motion animated movies, but that alone isn't a guarantee of a film looking stunning. Anderson is meticulous in the details and that translates into a gorgeous movie. From his perfectly balanced framing shots, to the fluid movement, to the landscape and especially the characters- this film is just beautiful.

I have to say, Isle of Dogs is a weird movie. However, it was entertaining, funny, and unique. This isn't close to Anderson's best, but I had a fun time watching it. This is a film that's well worth checking out.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Fantastic Mr. Fox