Isle of Dogs

Tropic Sprockets by Ian Brockway

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The uncompromising Wes Anderson (“Grand Budapest Hotel”) offers another colorful tour de force in “ Isle of Dogs,” a film that is as meaningful as it is vibrant. The film, which unfolds as richly as origami, may delight some and confuse others with its many asides and its endless bits of commentary, but it is perpetually thoughtful, laser sharp in design and never predictable.

This is an animated stop-motion film reminiscent of the Rankin/ Bass Christmas TV productions, set in a future Japan. The nation is in the grips of a fascist dictator Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) and a canine virus has the country hysterical with hatred and fear. Kobayashi insists that all dogs should be rounded up in exile to Trash Island, for the rest of their lives.

One such dog is Spots (Liev Schreiber), in charge of protecting Kobayashi’s nephew Atari (Koyo Rankin). The dog is locked in a crate and left for dead. Atari steals a plane and resolves to find the lost dog.

Arriving at Trash Island he meets the canines Chief (Bryan Cranston), Rex (Edward Norton), Duke (Jeff Goldblum) and Boss (Bill Murray) who resolve to find the missing dog.

The visual sweep of the film carries the story along, which is as beautifully rendered as an Asian tapestry. At times the visual effects are so rapid and hyper that it seems this story is several films within one. There are many areas where one can look at each time and you would be hard pressed to catch every detail.

Rather than a distraction, though, this film is a triumph of style. Colors and grand designs pop and fizz in front of you accompanied by captions and verbal asides.

The film is nothing less than a pop up book that is forever in motion delighting the eye.

Most magically, each dog comes across as a genuine being with thoughts, feelings and pathos. Amazing it is to see each dog’s expressions change from passivity to alarm, sadness or snarling with a sense of purpose. All emotion exists in the eyes.

One feels for these dogs as individuals because they are dismissed by a blank world under fascism. The people live by rote. To perform surgery requires the same care as making sushi and attention is placed on objects rather than people.

If you are irritated by the commentary of Edward Norton, focus instead on the hypnotic multifaceted icons and settings—there is more than enough of a visual feast here, so much that it almost becomes a surfeit.

Yoko Ono has a surprising turn as the voice of a depressed scientist and Harvey Keitel will wrench some tears, playing a canine overcome with grief, howling in sadness.

There is much to like in “ Isle of Dogs” and it is not necessary to get every deadpan quip to enjoy the film. All that you need is to look into the face of Spots and Chief and see our own struggle, be it domestic worry or authoritarian blight.

Write Ian at ianfree11@yahoo.com