Wes Anderson is like the gift that keeps on giving. Every one of his films is a unique and unforgettable treat. His latest film just happens to be a doggy treat, and a damn delectable one at that. I won’t be surprised if this movie appears in my best films of the year. It’s just so consistently clever and entertaining that it’s hard to imagine another director that could deliver this film. I honestly don’t think there is one.
This particular film is Anderson’s love letter to Japanese cinema and dogs. There is no mistaking it either. This movie is rooted in all things dog and all things Japanese. It’s an oddly wonderful combination and works for a story that feels completely unique and familiar at the same delightful time. It truly cannot be understated how special each one of Mr. Anderson’s films are and how special this film feels in the sea of movies that surround it.
The story is set in the near future where dogs have apparently come down with a perpetual flu. So, the mayor of a Japanese city called Megasaki decides to ship all K-9’s to an island of trash. One of those dogs is named Spots and he belongs to the nephew of that mayor. So, the boy takes a plane over to the island in order to find his lost dog. When he reaches the island he finds a pack of Alpha dogs that are mostly excited to help him find his dog.
The true main characters of the story are the pack of Alpha dogs played by Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and the one stray of the pack voiced by Bryan Cranston. If there is a star in this movie it is Cranston as Chief. His transformation is the heart of the movie. There is also a love interest for Chief that is voiced by Scarlett Johansson, an interpreter voiced by Frances McDormand, a special dog voiced by Liev Schrieber, and so many more. The talent on display here is truly as top notch as it gets.
Yet, it’s Anderson’s imagination that the true star. The use of claymation is meticulous. The language barriers, subtitled, and translations are used for brilliant comic effect. The score by Alexandre Desplat is a brilliant combination of Japanese style drumming and wind instruments. And the writing is about as dryly witty as it comes. I really laughed my ass off a large amount of the movie. When I wasn’t laughing, I was staring at the screen with a great, big smile on my face.
‘Isle of Dogs’ isn’t going to change the world, but it’s good enough that it might change yours for a while. There is a beautiful message about a dogs connection to his master and a lovely respect for the various styles of Japanese culture, but this is a Wes Anderson world. We are just bearing witness.
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