Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs Is As Whimsical As It Is Wearying
Nearly nine years after the success of his charming heist flick Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson returns to stop-motion animation and tales of untamed yet lovable animals with Isle of Dogs. With this original story set in a dystopian Japan, the acclaimed filmmaker steps out of his comfort zone, creating an adventure that’s whimsical, bittersweet, and uncomfortably problematic.
Set in a not-so-distant future, Isle of Dogs follows a crisis in Japan. The dangerous Dog Flu has broken out. To contain it, mirthless Mayor Kobayashi (voiced by Kunichi Nomura) banishes all dogs to toxic wasteland called Trash Island. There, a pack of self-proclaimed “alpha dogs” work together to fight for food scraps and survive. But they’re given new purpose when a 12-year-old boy named Atari (Koyu Rankin) arrives in search of his beloved pet, Spots (Liev Schreiber). Despite the grumbling of Chief (Bryan Cranston)–a gruff stray who distrusts humans–this pugnacious pack agrees to help Atari on his quest, which will force them to journey through Trash Island’s most dangerous terrains. Meanwhile, on the mainland, American exchange student Tracy Walker (Greta Gerwig) seeks to overturn the mayor’s banishment dictate through pro-dog protests and an investigation into his shady dealings…
Read the entire review at Riot Material magazine: http://www.riotmaterial.com/wes-andersons-isle-of-dogs-as-whimsical-as-wearying/
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