“Whatever happened to man’s best friend?”
Somewhere in between the absurdity of the dialogue and exquisite, meticulous stop-motion animation, Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” (2018) is, at its heart, an age-old tale about a boy and his dog.
The film is set in a futuristic Japan, where an outbreak of fictional “snout fever” terrorizes the also fictional city of Megasaki. To stop the disease from jumping species, cat-loving Mayor Kobayashi exiles all dogs to Trash Island — The Isle of Dogs.
The personal bodyguard dog of the mayoral household, a black and white wiry Terrier named Spots Kobayashi (voiced by Liev Shreiber), is the first dog to be officially exiled to Trash Island. In the beginning of the film, his “master,” 12-year-old Atari, watches on from the back of a packed theater as his beloved dog is sent off in a crate. This sets the story in motion because, as you might have guessed, Atari must save Spots.
Semi-spoilers below. If you’d like to watch the film before reading the review, head over to Disney+.
A Special Bond, Despite the Language Barrier
Early in the film, it’s established via title card that the dogs are the only characters that English speakers will understand. It reads, “The humans in this story speak only in their native tongue (occasionally translated via bi-lingual interpreter, foreign-exchange-student, or electronic device).”
Basically, Anderson is letting you know early on that you won’t understand a good chunk of the film unless you speak Japanese, as no translation is provided.
This detail adds a layer of irony; you, as the viewer, can understand what the English-speaking dogs want from the humans, but not the reverse. It’s a play on the “language barrier” that exists in our real life relationships with dogs. At one point in the film, Atari gives a rousing speech in Japanese, and the dogs watch on in confusion. Duke (voiced by Jeff Goldblum) mumbles to another pup, “I wish somebody spoke his language.”
Atari and Spots, however, have no language barrier. Each has a wireless earpiece, as provided by the Kobayashi dynasty, through which they can speak to one another. Incredibly, through this technology, they can actually understand what the other is saying.
A Variety of Dog Representation
“Isle of Dogs” represents dogs from all walks of life, from stray to show dog.
When we’re first introduced to Trash Island, it appears that a pack of vicious Alpha dogs lead by lifelong stray Chief (voiced by Bryan Cranston) runs the show. Quickly, you learn that each of these pups misses their former life as a house dog — with the exception of Chief, of course.
The film pokes fun at the hierarchies we assign our canine friends based on their genetic makeup or life circumstance. Nutmeg (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), one of the film’s only female pups, speaks of her time as a show dog, “I was groomed for that purpose. It wasn’t my choice. I don’t consider it my identity.”
At one point, Chief muses, “I’m a stray, but aren’t we all? In the last analysis, I mean.”
That’s the beauty of Anderson’s film: no matter the background of the pup, a dog is a dog.
Impact Beyond the Screen
Because the film is entirely stop-motion, no real life dogs were saved in the making of this movie. However, the message of the film may have changed some viewers’ outlooks on strays and breeding.
“Isle of Dogs” displays humanity at its very worst, throwing dogs away like garbage and ostracizing the species altogether. Although there isn’t any definitive proof that this film changed a dog’s life, the message is clear: dogs are our best friends and should be treated as such.
Does ‘Isle of Dogs’ Focus on Dog-Centric Issues?
Although the film doesn’t use any real-life dogs, “Isle of Dogs” still focuses on dog-centric issues. The story highlights the unfair stigma strays and “violent” dogs face. It also pokes fun at the ridiculousness of categorizing dogs based on their breed, status, and age.
Also, it goes without saying: no dogs were harmed in the making of “Isle of Dogs.”
How to Watch ‘Isle of Dogs’
“Isle of Dogs” is available on Disney+. For further reading about the film, check out ComingSoon’s interview with DP Tristan Oliver who has some incredible insights about the creation of Megasaki and Trash Island.
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