Isle of Dogs

Score:  B

Directed by Wes Anderson
Starring Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum
Running time: 101 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Isle of Dogs is the latest film from acclaimed indie auteur Wes Anderson, with a premise more standard and family-friendly than usual.  There's quite a line up of voice actors in this stop-motion animated film, featuring Bryan Cranston and (all too briefly) Edward Norton, Bill Murray and other veterans.  It's definitely a Wes Anderson film in all the ways that entails, so guide your decision to see it on that.  If you're new to him, give it a try if you're in the mood for quirky.


In a future version of Japan, pet owners are horrified when a flu virus and related maladies infect the entire dog population of the nation.  Apparently determined to prevent its potential spread to humans, but thinly concealing a more sinister plot, Kobayashi declares that all dogs are to be banished to the deserted "trash island".  One victim of the deportation is Spot, the beloved dog of Kobayashi's nephew, Atari.  He sneaks to the island to find his companion, but first runs into another pack of dogs, each formerly from disparate locations, led by Chief (Cranston) and Rex (Norton).  As the group works its way through Trash Island - and hoping Spots is even still alive - the secret plot back on the main land is well under way.

Isle of Dogs has a tremendous list of voice actors, including many Wes Anderson regulars as well as a number of Japanese actors, too.  The only major human role is Atari, the young boy searching for his dog.  Koyu Rankin speaks his native Japanese, which is not captioned, but it doesn't really matter; the character is mostly a plot device, important mostly for his relation to the dog characters.  Bryan Cranston is the true lead, a stray dog called Chief.  He's a good choice, not just because his voice is distinctive and recognizable, but because he shows here just how versatile it can be: from low and gruff, to hoarse and excited, even at times to smooth and seductive.  His "pack" is full of other great voice actors - it's a shame that they get as little screen time as they do - in Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Bob Balaban.  With amusing backstories and personalities, they are the most entertaining element of the film.  There are many other, smaller roles, notably Greta Gerwig as an exchange student-activist and Scarlett Johansson as a pure-bred love interest for Chief.

Isle of Dogs is a pleasant enough film, featuring its nutty premise and striking stop-motion animation, in Wes Anderson's unique style (with all its pros and cons).  If you have seen other Wes Anderson films, you'll know what to expect stylistically.  If not, a quick primer: it's quirky.  Although they don't take themselves too seriously, they're also sneakily sophisticated.  Humor abounds, usually tongue-in-cheek but sometimes more directly goofy (which Dogs tends toward).  The stories move along familiar tracks, yet at a unique pace and emphasizing different beats and turns of events than other films do.  Thus, the silly if structurally-familiar premise of Isle of Dogs seems well-suited for Anderson's style, although he plays it more conventionally than I expected.  The search for Spots becomes a story of Chief learning to bond with a human companion, which plays out in fairly standard fashion.  There is also significant attention given to the human scheming on the main land, some of which is clever but ultimately not as fun as the dogs themselves and unnecessarily complicates what should be a simple story.  As mentioned, I wish we got to spend more time with the pack of dogs, not just Chief: this could have helped with simplifying the story more (yet also room for more character interactions) and giving more time to the most entertaining elements.  The animation of the film is superbly done, so there's always something interesting to see on screen, and the soundtrack also sets the mood nicely and fits the tone.  Yet for its varied pleasures throughout, I found myself shrugging at the end, with neither a strong emotional connection nor an interesting plot pulled together from the disparate elements.

***

Isle of Dogs is a fine film, but it depends on what kind of film you're in the mood for - and what mood you're in in general - whether or not to recommend it.  There's also the Wes Anderson element; if you are a big fan, I think you'll find more of what you like here.  Personally, I'm not sure I'll be going to see any more of his films in the theater.  They are decent to good films, and definitely offer a change of pace, with a feel and certain elements you won't find anywhere else.  But I think home viewing - when I'm in the mood - will suffice for me, as I'm pretty neutral on the overall viewing experience of his films.  Again, if you're an Anderson fan, I think you'll enjoy it (it's also family-friendly, for parents looking for something a little more involved) - and if you're an Anderson newbie, well, proceed with caution.




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