Isle of Dogs

A canine flu has besieged Megasaki City, causing the mayor Kobayashi to issue an emergency decree: all dogs are to be exiled to the remote Trash Island. The mayor vindicates his plan with Spots, the watchdog of his twelve-year-old ward, Atari. Spots is followed by several hundred dogs that run wild on the island and have to fight for their survival in packs. Atari sets off in search of Spots in a plane but suffers a crash-landing on the island and is rescued by a pack of dogs. Chief, King, Rex, Boss and Duke – a pack of alpha dogs – adopt Atari and help him search for Spots. At first, Chief, a former stray, is reluctant to accompany Atari, but soon a strong bond develops between the two. Meanwhile, dog lovers on the mainland are protesting against the deportation of their companions and develop a cure for the canine flu. They eagerly track Atari’s courageous quest in search of Spots, while the dog enemies attempt to find Atari and bring him back. His search for Spots evolves into a political movement aiming to restore the dogs’ good reputation.
Wes Anderson’s second animation film not only premiered as the opening film of this year’s Berlinale, but also won the Silver Bear for Best Director. Anderson’s austere symmetrical style is combined with his love for dogs and Japanese cinema – he quotes Japanese masters, especially Akira Kurosawa, as well as Japanese comics. The film was shot in the classic and very complex stop-motion technique with elaborately wrought puppets, resulting in a two-year production process. Wes Anderson uses this technique adeptly and renders it perceptible for viewers in opulent details like the dogs’ fur, which can be seen moving ever so slightly. (vr)