The Unfettered Critic – May 2018

Our readers may have noticed that we have an affinity for dogs. This doesn’t mean we automatically adore any movie featuring a canine (some are dogs, and we don’t mean that in a good way), but it does suggest we’ll make the effort to spend an afternoon at a matinee. Well, we’re happy to report that Isle of Dogs—Wes Anderson’s latest cinematic achievement—is an afternoon delight.

The plot: In a mythical Japanese city, dogs are stricken with deadly “snout fever.” This pleases the mayor, a devoted cat lover. He convinces his constituents that this virulence threatens humans too, and orders all dogs banished to nearby “Trash Island” for the rest of their presumably short lives. Included in this canine diaspora is Spots, companion to Atari, the mayor’s twelve-year-old ward. In response, Atari does what any good twelve-year-old would do to save his best friend: he “borrows” a small plane and flies to the island, where he encounters a pack of abandoned pooches: Rex, King, Duke, Boss, and Chief. As one expects of all good dogs, they join Atari’s search for Spots. Their odyssey is amusing and sad in equal measure, and even incorporates a hint of political satire.

Director/screenwriter Anderson (Rushmore, The Grand Budapest Hotel) has devoted his career to whimsical tales that spotlight dysfunctional but often likeable characters. These motley canines are no different, despite the fact that they—as well as the human characters—are realized via stop-motion animation (as with Anderson’s earlier Fantastic Mr. Fox). The highly-articulated puppets are positioned frame-by-frame to create the illusion of motion, a technique harkening back to the hands-on era of animation before computer graphics overwhelmed the genre. And the work here is meticulous. The pups are all quite…um… fetching, with tufts of fur that waft in the breeze, and large emotional eyes that well with tears when the pups think about their former lives. When poor, disheveled King states, “I starred in twenty-two consecutive Doggy Chow commercials; Look at me now, I couldn’t land an audition,” or Duke mutters, “I only ask for what I’ve always had: a balanced diet, regular grooming, and a general physical once a year,” you’ll find yourself laughing or tearing up in turn. The characters’ barks—conveniently translated into English—are delivered by A-list actors, including Scarlett Johansson as beautiful show dog Nutmeg, F. Murray Abraham as the sage St. Bernard Jupiter, and Bryan Cranston as Chief, the film’s ostensible “romantic lead.”

The musical soundtrack, too, is A-level, composed by Alexandre Desplat. Among his seventy film credits, Desplat has been awarded the Oscar twice: for The Shape of Water and The Grand Budapest Hotel. This time out, Desplat shifts from his traditional melodic style to incorporate traditional Japanese taiko drumming into his score.

Despite Isle of Dogs being an animated feature, it’s not just a movie for kids—although they’ll like it. Adults, even those who may not be dedicated canine lovers, will enjoy it too. Woven into the beautiful visuals and the story’s gentle philosophy, is a quality with which we all can empathize. We commit to Atari’s quest for the love that’s been stolen from him, as though we, too, are a part of the pack. Even Chief, initially reluctant, comes around when lovely Nutmeg provides the correct motivation.

“Will you help him?” she asks

“Why should I?” Chief responds.

“Because he’s a twelve-year-old boy,” she says. “Dogs love those.”

If, by the time you read this, Isle of Dogs can’t be found in local theaters, don’t fret; we’re convinced it will win “best-in-show” on your small screen, too.