Isle of Dogs

Wes Anderson’s first animated film in almost 10 years, Isle of Dogs follows a young boy (Koyu Rankin’s Atari) as he travels to an island populated by exiled canines in search of his lost dog – with the narrative detailing Atari’s quest and his decision to enlist the aid of several residents of the aforementioned island (including Bryan Cranston’s Chief and Edward Norton’s Rex). It’s clear that Anderson isn’t looking to deviate even partially from his well-established sense of style, as Isle of Dogs, right from the get-go, boasts exactly the sort of larger-than-life, endlessly quirky sensibility one has come to associate with the oddball filmmaker – with this vibe reflected most keenly in Tristan Oliver’s meticulous, exacting cinematography (ie there’s no mistaking the picture for anything other than a Wes Anderson joint). And although Anderson’s overstuffed screenplay suffers from a few needless digressions (eg virtually everything involving Greta Gerwig’s unnecessary character, Tracy Walker), Isle of Dogs benefits greatly from a midsection devoted mostly to the growing bond between Rankin and Cranston’s respective characters. The engaging atmosphere is heightened by an assortment of spellbinding stand-alone sequences, including Chief’s tale of biting a small boy, and there’s little doubt that the various performers deliver entertaining, memorable voice work that remains a highlight. The somewhat ineffective third act, which is in desperate need of streamlining, confirms Isle of Dogs‘ place as a solid endeavor that could (and should) have been better, with the movie’s proliferation of positive attributes ultimately compensating for its few missteps (ie a more innovative animated production one is not likely to see for quite some time).

*** out of ****