Isle of Dogs: A Whole New World

Post by Emily McTyre

Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson’s latest creation, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Sure, we got the same animation style in Fantastic Mr. Fox, but its story and characters were tied to the classic Roald Dahl novel. With Isle of Dogs, however, we are introduced to a completely individual, quirky, charming, and complex world full of places and people (and dogs) found only in Anderson’s mind.

After an executive decree exiles the canine population of Megasaki City to Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari sets out on a quest to find his guard-dog, Spots. After the boy crash-lands on the island, a troupe of dogs -- Rex, King, Boss, Duke, and Chief -- aids him in his search. Meanwhile, back across the ocean in Megasaki City, student pro-dog activists devise a plan to uncover the conspiracies of Mayor Kobayashi’s corrupt government.

While this film presents a concept that is completely unlike any other, many aspects of the story still follow Anderson’s classic fashion. Deadpan humor, symmetrical framing, intricate and overlapping storylines, the recurring cast, and subtle emotions all carry through this piece, as well as his previous works. But in Isle of Dogs, the amount of visual detail and manipulation on the animator and director’s part really make this movie unique and leave you with a lasting impression. Every inch of the screen is full of color, design, cultural ties, and texture. You could probably watch this movie a hundred times and catch something new with each viewing. Each and every character has his or her distinct design, motives, and emotions, even if they only have a handful of lines. Every single aspect of this film, down to the locks of fur on each of the dogs, is fully integrated into the world of Megasaki City and create a place I wish was real so I could visit.

Anderson combines Japanese culture with his whimsical story, creating a very specific and tailored atmosphere for the characters to dwell in. The audience falls into it, too. Everything about the story is incredibly convincing; Megasaki City and Trash Island are so complex and full of substance that they translate as concrete places on Earth. There was a point where I stopped questioning anything that seemed extraordinary, including the conversations between dogs and humans. I was fully immersed into this world, and I loved every second of it. Granted, I am a huge Wes Anderson fan and have been waiting for this film since production rumors appeared on the internet years ago. Still, even for the people in the audience who may not be accustomed to the refined, Anderson-esque ways of storytelling, the attention to visual detail, charming humor and characters, as well as the intricate narrative are enough to pull anyone into this visual masterpiece.