A film about dogs in a dystopian setting that exudes originality in the form of stop-motion animation glory? Count me in!
All who have watched Wes Anderson’s films can agree that his projects come in a versatile array, ranging from live action to animation, and featuring all sorts of characters. Still, as I sat in the dark theater, alongside rows of children and their parents last weekend, I felt a different excitement for Isle of Dogs that I don’t normally feel for films anymore: childlike wonder.
At First Glance:
First and foremost, we should credit the film’s genre. Although stop-motion animation has come a long way from its early 20th Century predecessors, it is still strenuous, time-consuming work. That alone should give Anderson credit.
As is common in Anderson’s work, the colors are vibrant: smatterings of yellows, among other brights, appear on screen, reminiscent of the cinematography in Moonrise Kingdom. The setting comes to life through color, especially since scenes are set against the backdrop of a mute-colored, dystopian Japan.
As if its visual qualities aren’t arresting enough, the film also boasts an original score composed mostly by Alexandre Desplat (who recently received an Academy Award for his work in Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water). The cast also showcases a myriad of commendable voices, including that of Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, and Yoko Ono, among other names.
Overall, the film is lighthearted and fun, and it exhibits a snarky deadpan humor that is twofold: it either elicits snorts from the adults in the room, or flies over the heads of the younger crowd.
The Nitty Gritty:
Most of the film’s shortcomings stem from internal issues.
The story itself is definitely original and interesting:
In a futuristic, dystopian Japan, canine flu sprouts and ravages the country, causing all dogs to be quarantined on what was Trash Island. A boy, the nephew of Megasaki’s mayor, travels to the island in search of his old pet dog, banding together with a pack of scruffy outcast dogs to find his own. The boy’s escape becomes worldwide news, sparking dog-lovers to uncover a government conspiracy.
All that is fine, but what I found grating was the white savior complex in Tracy, a white American exchange student living in Megasaki. It is she who listens closely to conspiracy theories and consequently unites dog-lovers to unveil the mayor’s wrongdoings. She’s the archetypical “white savior” foreigner come to rescue natives from themselves, so much so that I had a hard time seeing her as anything more, much less a likeable, dynamic character.
As far as characters are concerned, I didn’t feel the relationships between most characters were strong, nor their backgrounds developed enough, and this didn’t lend itself to the strong emotional response I’m sure the ending intended. Most characters are static, and it’s easy to become less invested in their progress throughout the film.
Overall, a unique and interesting concept, but the arresting sensory experience distracts from weaker internal development.