Isle Of Dogs Reviews Round Up They Re Good Dogs

‘Isle Of Dogs’ Reviews Round-Up: They’re Good Dogs

By Chris Evangelista/Feb. 15, 2018 2:15 pm EST

Isle of Dogs, one of /Film’s most anticipated films of 2018, just had its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, and reviews are leaping in. The consensus? They’re very good dogs, folks. Wes Anderson’s latest stop motion marvel features an all-star cast that includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Ken Watanabe, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Harvey Keitel, Koyu Rankin, Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, Scarlett Johansson,Tilda Swinton, Akira Ito, Akira Takayama, F. Murray Abraham, Yojiro Noda, Mari Natsuki, Yoko Ono, and Frank Wood.

Below, feast your eyes on our early Isle of Dogs reviews round-up.

‘Isle Of Dogs’ Reviews Round-Up: They’re Good Dogs

By Chris Evangelista/Feb. 15, 2018 2:15 pm EST

Below, feast your eyes on our early Isle of Dogs reviews round-up.

Isle of Dogs Reviews Round-Up

Thomas Humphrey at Screen Anarchy writes that the film will feel “mildly familiar” for Anderson fans, but it also “remains an absolute delight”:

Over at Forbes, Scott Mendelson calls Isle of Dogs a " cinematic delight":

In some ways, though, fans should be warned that this film isn’t quite as quick-fire and polished a gem as some of Anderson’s previous films. It does also suffer of feeling mildly familiar, using as it does the same ploy that Fantastic Mr. Fox uses of putting A-list actors’ instantly recogniseable voices into mesmerizingly alien cartoon worlds. Nevertheless, this effect is undeniably one that remains an absolute delight to any cinematic pallette worth its own salt.

Isle of Dogs is a cinematic delight. It straddles the line between kid-friendly adventure and adult-skewing political drama, but it is good fun for older kids and their parents. The voice work is terrific, and I’m quite partial to Frances McDormand as the overly empathetic translator. Penned by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Nomura, this is a richly detailed homage to the likes of Kurosawa and Ozu, while operating as a blend of Japanese and American social parable arguing against our current nationalistic streak. It is a genuine original from one of the last American marquee filmmakers who hasn’t been sucked into the franchise machine.

Variety’s Guy Lodge says the film is “perhaps not an entire meal” but “rewarding nonetheless”:

Indiewire says “Wes Anderson Delivers a Stop-Motion Stunner About the Garbage World We Live In” and adds:

On Twitter, Steven Weintraub of Collider says he was “blown away” by the film:

As a stop-motion fan absolutely blown away by Wes Anderson’s ‘Isle of Dogs’. The level of detail in every shot is jawdropping. Want to watch it again being able to stop it on every frame. Also loved the story and characters. Such a great movie.

— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) February 15, 2018

Hannah Woodhead’s Little White Lies review states that Isle of Dogs is “perhaps [Anderson’s] most restrained since Rushmore”, and says:

In The Guardian, Jonathan Romney describes the film as “hugely enjoyable”:

In some ways it’s difficult to define who Isle of Dogs is really for. This isn’t a puppy-filled adventure for children, featuring some mature themes and occasional violence (yes, with puppets), but it doesn’t quite reach the pinnacle of animated weirdness last seen in Charlie Kaufman’s Anomalisa. It feels, more than anything, like a cinematic love letter – to Japan, to dogs, and to finding your pack, wherever they might be.

Cinema Blend critic Eric Eisenberg says Isle of Dogs is a “movie that plays on the best of the writer/director’s sensibilities”:

[T]his hugely enjoyable package shows an indefatigably fertile imagination letting rip in inimitable style – and packing an eco-themed, antibigotry message as well. You can rest assured, Anderson ain’t selling us no pup.

Isle of Dogs opens on March 23, 2018.

Isle of Dogs Reviews Round-Up#

Isle of Dogs Reviews Round-Up