Logan Sork Film Reviews
Isle of Dogs
Whether you personally like them or not, you have to admit that dogs remain an important part of nearly every world culture. These canines have been at the side humanity since the stone age and are still here to this day. Wes Anderson’s latest film, Isle of Dogs, aims to celebrate the positive impact that these animals have had in our lives through a unique animation style. The film succeeds in spectacular fashion, resulting in a feel-good movie with great animation, fun characters and a positive reminder as to why these pets are so beloved by many people around the world.
Isle of Dogs is directed by Wes Anderson and is set in a dystopian Japan where all dogs are declared illegal for fear of disease and overpopulation, resulting in the shipment of all canines to trash island of the coast of Japan. After several months, the island (now the isle of dogs) is now over run with dog packs who fight one another for dominance and survival. One day, a pack of dogs including Rex (Ed Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Boss (Bill Murray), Duke (Jeff Goldblum) and their leader Chief (Bryan Cranston) encounter a young pilot who crash-lands on the island. They learn that the boy is Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin) a ward to the mayoral household who has come to the island in search of his dog Spots (Leiv Schreiber), who was the first dog deported to the island. The pack agrees to help Atari find Spots and sets out on a journey across the island, encountering many strange dogs along the way while avoiding the authorities trying to retrieve Atari. Meanwhile on the Mainland, a group of high-school students work to uncover an anti-dog conspiracy to prove to the public that dogs still remain man’s best friend.
While the art of stop-motion animation is not a new practice, it is still an uncommon one. It takes an absurd amount of time to animate and may be off putting to others who are accustomed to traditional forms of animation. Isle of Dogs is a testament to the hard work and beauty that can be found in this sub-genre of animation. The film is absolutely gorgeous, from the set design to the cinematography to the unique character models. The animation team really outdid themselves on this one, as it looks like the characters move like real animals rather than mechanical dogs. There is also so much beauty in the film that is pulled from relatively bleak looking locations and sets ranging from landfills, abandoned amusement parks and run-down power plants. From a visual and animation stand-point, the film is flawless.
Another great thing about this film is the cast and characters. On the island, the group meets a wide range of canines, ranging from a tough feral dog who is the leader of a supposed cannibal dog pack, to a pug who is gifted with the ability to understand the television. The character models come to life through unique designs and the fantastic voice acting, resulting in a wide variety of characters and designs that make this film extremely entertaining. The same diversity that is found on the island can also be seen on the island, where the characters range from the dog-loving high school students to the cat-loving political figures. Even though some of the characters aren’t supposed to be as likable as others, the voice acting, and animation really make it so there are no unlikeable characters. The wide variety of character help to make this film a fun adventure where every character encounter brings its unique element to the film.
Aside from the great animation and unique characters, the film’s best element is it’s feel good message and tone. There are so many films that are made today that focus on the negative things in life. Sure, that may work for a little bit, but after a while you just need a break from all of that. Isle of Dogs is that film, as it serves a celebration of dogs and the joy they bring to life and it does so by showing how characters are impacted by them. It doesn’t attack anyone, it doesn’t try and make people who don’t like dogs feel bad, it does so in a positive way that is often not found in today’s films. While that may risk the film not being that impactful or memorable in terms of message, it is positive enough that you will remember the fun you had while watching it rather than the negative thoughts it caused you to have.
Isle of Dogs is one of the most charming and unique animated films I have had the pleasure of viewing. It has beautiful animation, imaginative imagery, a wide range of fun characters and a feel-good message that will remind you of the joy that dogs bring to people’s lives. If you’re a fan of dogs, animated films or just feel good movies in general, then Isle of Dogs is definitely worth checking out.
9/10