When you think of the word “Auteur”, you probably don’t have to go through to many directors before you get to Wes Anderson. Few directors have such a unique and recognizable vision as his, and his style has drawn widespread acclaim from critics and film fans a like. His choice of bright colors and his usage of symmetrical shots help you spot his films from a mile away as well, and he his films are often known to share similar themes while also being completely unique and separate from each other. And now, Wes Anderson jumps back into the world of stop motion with Isle of Dogs. But unlike Fantastic Mr. Fox which was a fun family friendly adventure that was incredibly witty to boot, this film is far darker and doesn’t shy away from some very adult themes, all while still being incredibly witty. And thank goodness he did, because after giving it some thought, not only is Isle of Dogs one of my new favorite Wes Anderson films, but this hair raising adventure is probably my favorite movie the early parts of 2018.

Isle of Dogs is set in a dystopian near future Japan where a dog flu has spread among all canines. In an effort to get rid of the disease, mayor Kobayashi, voiced by Koyu Rankin, issues an executive order for all dogs to be moved to Trash Island. Because his dog was one of the dogs that was shipped off, a small boy by the name of Atari, voiced by Kunichi Nomura flies to Trash Island in order to find his missing pet. There, he is met by a group of abandoned dogs led by the reluctant Chief, voiced by Bryan Cranston, who together set off an adventure to find his lost dog. Like many Wes Anderson films, this movie divides its story up into chapters. Each chapter includes a different event that effects our characters on this journey. The two settings of this film that being Trash Island and futuristic Japan both help shape the them of this film that the life of this world feels barren, as Trash Island is devoid of human life and Japan is devoid of human sympathy. The story intersects between two plot threads, that being Atari trying to find his dog and a protest in Japan led by a foreign exchange student named Tracy, voiced by Greta Gerwig, in order to take Kobayashi out of power. These two stories parallel each other in a great away, and the way how they intersect in the end is entirely satisfying. Like all other Wes Anderson films, the journey that this pack of dogs and Atari go on is filled with many moments of self reflection, and each character learns some very important along their journey. These are told through many witty clever encounters that all of the characters have with each other. Even the story telling of this film feels artistic, as half of the story is told visually through the use of stop motion and paintings while the other half is told through the films incredibly well written dialogue. All of the characters in this film are memorable and serve a purpose to the films story. Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, and Bill Murray all voice the main pack of dogs we follow, and each of them give memorable performances. We get a clear understanding of how their dynamic as a group works, and it was especially fun seeing the free spirited and wild Chief argue for leadership with the up tight Rex, voiced by Edward Norton. Other actors such as F. Murray Abraham, Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, and even Courtney B. Vance as the narrator all give terrific performances. While the dogs and the American characters speak English, all of the Japanese speak only Japanese. While I get that the world didn’t want break its mysticism by adding subtitles, I wish they had been included because I felt like I could’ve connected with Atari more if I could understand him. However, this isn’t that big of a complaint due to how well he is animated so I still get a good grasp on his emotions. Despite the films story seeming simple, it still has many layers and explores many themes of the human condition. And just like any other Wes Anderson film, is told through both a monotone yet bright narrative.

When Wes Anderson is brought up, you probably have pretty distinct visuals that enter your mind. The usage of bright colors combined with sets and costumes that look somewhat out of reality has every film he makes look as if it is in the same consistent world. And while Isle of Dogs definitely includes many Wes Anderson staples, it also ditches quite a few. This might be Wes Anderson’s most dull looking film yet, as nothing in the film is meant to look pretty. Many shots of grey and brown horizons haunt this movie it shows the life of this world been figuratively and literally shipped away. Even the futuristic world of Japan feels joyless because despite being filled with bright lights, it still feels lifeless due to the personality of everyone that inhabits it. This may seem like it would make the film unpleasant to look at, but these visual choices are so obviously purposeful that you are often amazed at how something both look so bland yet so beautiful. The major Wes Anderson staple that does inhabit this movie is the use of the symmetrical camera angles. Anderson frames all of his shots so that they are completely even, which makes each frame of the film visually striking and memorable. You can hang up any shot in this film and it would make a gorgeous painting on any wall. Couple that with the films dramatic lighting and bombastic sound, and you have one of the stunning looking films I have seen in a long time. As I said before, this film is stop motion and is very much animated in the style of an old clay animation Christmas special. This adds a ton of charm to the films characters as all of their movements are incredibly precise and specific that often times just them going from point to point can get a laugh. I never thought I would see a film that combines both styles of Akira Kurosawa and Rankin/Bass into one, but somehow the genius of Wes Anderson managed to pull it off. The awkward and witty comedy that Anderson often soaks in is fully present here. The arguments and discussions that all of these characters get into are incredibly funny and provide a ton smart and clever writing. There is one scene in particular that involves a group of characters jumping to the ground that had sort of “Whose on First?” feel to it that really got to me. It’s hard to laugh at these scenes because of how awkward they are, but they do provide great moments of levity from the films often times dark tone. Unlike Fantastic Mr. Fox which was undoubtedly a family adventure, Isle of Dogs is a far more intense and gloomy film which despite always having a quirky nature to it, isn’t afraid to go to some very dark territories. Humans get poisoned, dogs get ripped shreds, and pretty much any horrific thing that a director could get away with in a PG-13 movie occurs in this film. Despite being down right gruesome at times, it never feels out of place as it only really occurs when the stakes need to be raised. The themes of finding your place in the world and letting go of your past is prevalent in this movie and Chief’s journey with Atari really is the heart of the film. Watching as he goes from a care free and tough stray dog to what he becomes in the end is the best part of the film, and can be compared to the journey’s of other characters in many of Wes Anderson’s other films. Also, the idea of disease spreading and dogs being blamed as the soul cause could definitely be traced as an allegory for events going on in our world today. While you can definitely see that comparisons are being made, they are subtle enough that you can enjoy this film as a completely non political movie. The last part of this film I would like to comment on is the score. When the score kicks into this movie, the sounds of bass drums are extremely potent to capture the other worldly vibe of this film. This makes the film feel more grand have certain moments of the film feel intense through out its entire one hour and forty minute run time, which does in fact go by way quicker then it seems. It takes a true master have to execute this specific vision and present in a unique way on screen, but that is exactly the type of director that Wes Anderson is.

Stop motion animation is a dying art. It takes a lot of time and effort to make these types of films and often times they only barely break even, which is why we see so few of them. That’s why it’s such a delight and a gift when a director like Wes Anderson takes a stab at this type of film making, because we usually end up with something great like Isle of Dogs. In the end, Isle of Dogs is an amazing film that combines brilliant stop motion, witty dialogue, and beautiful imagery, all washed in that sweet Wes Anderson goodness. Considering the utter artistry that went into this, I would highly recommend you see this in the theatre. This is one film that most definitely didn’t turn out ruff.