I've talked about Wes Anderson on this blog before, and that's because he's kind of great. I've already talked about how much I love The Grand Budapest Hotel, and I'm gonna be honest.... it's not one of my favourite blogs that I've done. I love the movie, and I do think that the post reflects that, but I don't really think I expressed everything I feel about Anderson and his style. Because this guy would be one of my favourite filmmakers for sure. His films are deliciously and meticulously crafted, and his humour is so beautifully askew that you just have to love it. And God do I love it. I adore his style, and when the trailer for Isle of Dogs got released, I was ecstatic. It looked like the perfect blend of style, heart and humour. And when I got around to seeing it, it lived up to my expectations.
For those unaware, this is Anderson's second foray into animation. And his first, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, seems to split people. I like it. It's a great mix of deadpan, surreal humour, stylised sophistication, and beautifully detailed animation. It's not his best, but it's fun. But when I heard he was doing another animated film, I was very, very excited. Especially when I saw the cast, and the concept of Isle of Dogs. The core premise is that all of the dogs in Japan have been exiled to an island, on the orders of the mayor. His nephew, however, sets out to rescue his lost dog, Spots. He meets up with a gang of dogs on the island that they were sent to, the very aptly named Trash Island. From there it's a quirky romp across the island to find Spots.
Now, this being a Wes Anderson film, the cast is naturally excellent. Bryan Cranston is great as the gruff and aloof leader of the pack. His voice lends so much to the overall film, giving a viciousness and an odd kind of warmth to the character of Chief. The other dogs in the pack are well voiced too. Edward Norton gives a great poe faced (poe voiced?) seriousness with every line. Bill Murray makes his mandatory appearance in the film, and brings a good natured charm and silliness to the whole thing. Jeff Goldblum oozes charm with every rumour he tells, and Bob Balaban really sells the idea of a domestic dog out of his natural environment. They all act like actual dogs, and if dogs could talk, they'd probably say things like this. The way a dog behaves is perfectly anthropomorphised here, and that just adds to everything really nicely.
Everyone else contributes to the charm too. The characters that speak Japanese don't have subtitles, which is a very clever stylistic choice. Instead, the power of the Oscar nomination/ Oscar win translates most of the Japanese we hear. And yeah, Frances McDormand and Greta Gerwig add a really quaint, quirky charm to the whole thing. And it is strange how much mileage Anderson gets out of the use of language, but he uses it as an absolute hallmark of the film's style.
That style is a big draw for me here too. The film has a very distinct look to it. The design of the dogs is a great blend between realism and style, and the human characters have very quirky and odd designs that makes them very memorable (I'm a big fan of the Gerwig afro). The film has a real sort of jagged look to it, with the models being moved every second frame contributing to that in spades. The cotton wool clouds that erupt when they fight are an absolutely brilliant touch. And trash island looks great. It's run down, but oddly beautiful in it's own dilapidated way. It fits the style really well.
The plot as a whole is great. The idea of the dystopian island full of dogs is hilarious, but it's one that Anderson really sells. He was never one to do things by halves, and here is no different, turning an island full of dogs into an allegory for... something. And that's the beauty of the film. It can be read in a multitude of ways. The actual science fiction is done so well here that it actually just becomes part of the backdrop, so more room is left for the characters. And I love when a sci-fi film does that. We see how this affects each of the characters on an emotional level, and that results in some really sweet moments, particularly between Atari and Chief.
Unfortunately, I wasn't too keen on the subplot. I love Greta Gerwig, but the the storyline about her exchange student on a political crusade is a weak spot in the film. Some good jokes, for sure, and it does tie into the climax quite well, but it never becomes as emotionally resonant as the main plot. All of the satisfaction here only comes at the film's end, unlike the main plot, which continues to satisfy throughout, and then provides serious catharsis at the end. But it's not bad. Greta Gerwig keeps it charming, and as I said there are good ideas here. It's just not quite as interesting as it probably should have been. Which is a shame, but it's also the only major issue this film possesses.
So, Isle of Dogs. Wes Anderson's best? No, but it's definitely great. None of the flaws that this film has can take away from the charm and humour of it. It's a well thought out, sharply scripted idea that will make you laugh and may even warm your heart. Wes Anderson views the emotions of his characters from a spectator's point of view in all of his films, and here is no different, making this a surprisingly enchanting tale of a boy and his dog that never feels mushy, but also never feels distant either. You can forgive it for the odd misstep, because when it works, it really does work. When it's funny, you'll laugh. When it's emotional (in a Wes Anderson way), you'll feel that emotion. And when it raises a point, you might just stop and think. And honestly, that's pretty special.
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