Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" didn't feature one
shot of the Hungarian capital, so it was much to my further annoyance at the
director's geographical ignorance that his latest animated feature, "Isle
of Dogs", didn't go anywhere near E14. In fact, it's set in a fictional
city of the other side of the planet!
Resulting from an age-old family feud, Mayor Kobayashi (voiced by
co-writer Kunichi Nomura) of Megasaki, a cat-lover, paints dogs out to be a
diseased species and banishes them all to Trash Island; an island as its name
suggests. The Mayor's nephew Atari, a dog-lover, seeks his pet dog and
bodyguard Spots and flies to Trash Island. The islands new natives do not trust
humans and their English is incompatible with Atari's Japanese.
The Mayor angered, he sends in the troops to bring Atari back. Though
with a band of newly found "man's best friend" voiced by a list of
star names, Atari flees and locates Spots, but finds he has started a new life
on the island as its mythical leader. Back in Megasaki, Kobayashi seeks to
destroy evidence of dog serums created by dedicated scientists to bring all
canines back; to much protest from a group of student activists.
Returning, Atari delivers a rousing speech to shame his uncle, releasing
the serum and reviving the dormant dog-lover in the citizens of Megasaki. The
end.
One word to describe "Isle of Dogs" is "nice." The
animation is well-executed, though you don't feel it anything too innovative;
it looks very nice, but is far from delivering anything too dramatic; a nicely
put together, extensive ensemble cast creates a lot of draws, though the
delivery at times can be a little flat, perhaps due to actors taking on voice
acting roles. The film is not greater than the sum of its parts, with the
aesthetics giving a feel of style over substance, with no real depth when you
wash away the level of trash.
In an interview at Berlinale, the writing team suggested that a dog
trash island was the starting point for the film; the Japanese setting coming
later. The decision to set the film in Japan seems aesthetic as much as
anything. References to the films of Akira Kurosawa are made throughout and
acknowledged by Anderson. But it could easily have been set in France.
"Isle of Dogs", therefore, would appear a more
Tarantino-style homage piece than cultural appropriation that has caused debate.
The incorporation of a Japanese to the writing team gives some additional
authenticity in cultural reference points, as well as a Japanese cast
delivering Nihon-go, giving a Japanese audience a little something extra.
However, much like last year's "Ghost in the Shell", the
intended target audience means that American voices still dominate. The student
protest is driven by foreign exchange student Tracy (Greta Gerwig); and while a
stylistic choice, simultaneous translators talk over much of the Japanese dialogue.
The inconsistency of the direct translation of text versus none for dialogue
could perhaps irk some viewers also.
Though, in general, the film feels good-natured and too light-hearted
to intentionally create the controversial debate which arose - though this is
perhaps an unconscious given in Hollywood in this day and age. In fact, that is
perhaps where the film falls short: Perhaps aimed at a younger audience, the
storyline is a little too light and breezes through with ease and little in the
way of real bite.
