Isle of Dogs

"I've got to find my dog"

     I've been a long time fan of stop-motion animation. Since the first episode of Adult Swims Robot Chicken, the concept of bringing toys and figurines to life has always blown my mind. With the right story, the medium can tell truly captivating and emotionally profound stories, some which that resonate far better than films utilizing the emergence of 3D technology, motion capture and enhanced computer graphics. That being said, with the development of the industry I feel as though stop-motion animation is seldom seen in these modern times, a dying art form. It has been slowly creeping back into the spotlight however. In 2015 we had Anomalisa, a beautiful story about love and identity. 2016 brought us Kubo and the Two Strings, a mesmerizing tale of Kubo the young street performer going on a quest of self-discovery. This year brings us Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson's newest stop-motion piece, a whimsical tale of loyalty, friendship, and a heckload of good dogs.

     Wes Anderson's work has grown on me with each film of his that I've seen. In 2009 he released Fantastic Mr. Fox, his first stop-motion adventure, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's story of a scheming fox taking on three nasty farmhands. I was young at the time, and only appreciated the animation production aspect, not picking up on the directing or writing subtleties. Then there's 2012's Moonrise Kingdom, a coming of age love story of two runaway kids finding themselves through each other in the woods, and the first movie of his I truly appreciated. And with 2014's emmy nominated Grand Budapest Motel, a quirky mystery tale during World War 1, I finally started to understand his craft. Throughout these movies his style is easily recognizable and easy to digest, heavily detailed set pieces and symmetrical cinematography, all supported by strong casts and witty dialogue. He has a knack for telling charming, eccentric, even refreshing tales, and Isle of Dogs is no different.

Source: Thedailybeast

     It begins with a prologue, recounting the history and legend of the dog race and its conflict with the cat loving Kobayashi clan, briefly foreshadowing the main conflict of the rest of the film. Fast forward 20 years into the future, and Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) declares the Japanese archipelago of Megasaki overrun with an epidemic of dog flu due to a canine overpopulation. With the decree that all dogs be sent to garbage island, a self-explanatory isle off the coast, Mayor Kobayashi banishes his young wards security dog Spots (Liev Schreiber) as the first dog banished to garbage island. Fast forward another six months (yea, I know, we’ll get to that) and we arrive at the plot of the film.

Source: Engadget

   We’re introduced to the indestructible alpha dog pack: Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Duke (Jeff Goldblum), Boss (Bill Murray) and Chief (Bryan Cranston). While scavenging for food they witness a bi-plane crash land on the island, and discover the pilot, Mayor Kobayashi’s young ward Atari (Koyu Rankin) in search of his beloved dog Spots. They oblige to help him, or at least, mutually vote to help. While back in Megasaki, a pro-dog movement spearheaded by a spunky American exchange student (Lady Birds Greta Gerwig) begins to unravel a rather totalitarian type of conspiracy led by the cat loving administration.

          Like the films of his I’ve seen, it’s packed with a whole lot, and all at one time: huge elaborate set pieces, nonlinear storytelling (similar with Grand Budapest Motel, which is slightly Meta in its plot setup) and highly expressive dialogue a la Quentin Tarantino, minus the slow burn. Yet his movies are crafted in such a way where none of it feels overwhelming, and before you know it you’re sucked into the world by the rhythm of what’s being thrown at you, making it all the more believable. A voice over narration provides a lot of context during the quick expositional segments, while not bogging down on the forward momentum. Flashbacks are included as well (again, nonlinear), but are included neatly into the overall package.

Source: Metroweekly

          The dogs of course are the stars of the film, and that’s reflected cheekily (one of the dog flu symptoms being an adorable sneeze; and a cute disclaimer at the beginning states that while none of the human language is supported unless through in-movie aid via translators and tech, all dog barks have been “translated into English"). And while every dog doesn’t get as much screen time as the main pack, they’re all written as truly developed living things. They all had lives before being exiled, even careers and aspirations. Rex is the sarcastic voice of reason in the bunch. Duke is the group gossip (“You heard the rumor?”) while Chief is the "lone wolf" of the pack, being a stray and all. It's Chief and Atari who end up bonding more than the others, being that, similar to Andersons work in Moonrise Kingdom, both are lost creatures, looking for something more, and are tested about the meaning of loyalty versus friendship. To say anymore would ruin the surprises of the rather mature story and subject matter.

          Oh, and the production value. Of course, this movie is simply beautiful. Stretches of scenery, each varying in color palette and construction, showcase the many different landmarks of the island. Megasaki, in its synergistic construction through its many corresponding scenes, is an intricate capital, with colorful bars, lavish theatres, and busy command centers and schools. His approach with symmetry, where every frame is filled with activity, is playfully portrayed in a couple scenes I won’t dive into detail about. The soundtrack too gives everything a nice oomph, with a traditional sounding Japanese score to more contemporary style songs highlighting the packs journey.

          If you genuinely love animation, see this movie. If you love dogs, see this movie. If you’re looking for something new to see, go see this movie. It’s going to have something that you’ll love about it, and hopefully will inspire you to explore Andersons work in the way that seeing Moonrise Kingdom inspired me.

10 good dogs out of 10

But that’s just my opinion. What do you think? Comment below and be part of the conversation!