DVD Corner

Isle Of Dogs Criterion 4K UHD Review

“Isle Of Dogs” is Wes Anderson’s most underrated film.  

Penned by Wes Anderson from a story by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Kunichi Nomura, “Isle Of Dogs” is a stop-motion animated sci-fi drama-comedy. In Japan’s past, dogs roamed free, but their lives were threatened by the cat-loving and dog-hating Kobayashi lineage. The Boy Samurai of Legend stood up for the dogs and beheaded the head of the Kobayashi clan. Now, 1000 years later in the year 2038, history is repeating itself again as the cat-loving and dog-hating Mayor Kobayashi of Megasaki has declared that all dogs be exiled and quarantined on Trash Island due the threat of dog-flu and snout fever. The first dog sent to the island is Spots- the bodyguard of Atari (the Mayor’s nephew/ward). 6 months pass and Atari steals a plane and lands on Trash Island to find Spots. Spots is said to have been kidnapped by a dog tribe. Atari soon embarks on a journey to find the trusted dog alongside dogs Rex, Duke, King, Boss, and Chief (a stray with trust issues). Along the way, they encounter several dog allies such as former show dog Nutmeg and Jupiter. Atari and company face obstacles in the form of the Municipal Task Force which is attempting to “rescue” Atari with robot dogs.

Off the island there are several key subplots involving a scientist (Professor Watanabe) developing cures, a conspiracy involving Kobayashi, and an American exchange student/pro-dog activist (Tracy) looking to expose the truth about Kobayashi. 

Dogs have been a fixture in Wes Anderson’s filmography, but “Isle Of Dogs” is a true love letter to canines. It’s the perfect dog lover’s movie and features a heartfelt story of a stray (Chief) bonding with Atari. Story wise, the 2018 movie was also quite prescient as it pre-dated the COVID pandemic and also touches on political conspiracies. The plot has received some criticism for cultural appropriation, but the science fiction project felt respectful to Japanese culture to this reviewer. At its heart this is a story about language, ancestry, the cyclical nature of events, and the bond between humans and animals all told through Wes Anderson’s trademark humor and style. The only real downside is the Tracy subplot which the script could have done without (or at least reworked).

The animation work is nothing short of astonishing. The details, the handcrafted sets, and the character puppets are all beautifully done. The stop-motion art form may be tedious and laborious, but the process yields unforgettable and rewarding results. 

In typical Wes Anderson form, he has assembled quite the voice cast for ‘Isle’ with the likes of Bill Murray, Liev Schreiber, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Kunichi Nomura, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Koyu Rankin, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel, Courtney B. Vance, and more. The real stand-out here is Bryan Cranston as Chief. He is the heart and soul of the movie and his character arc drives the movie. Jeff Goldblum is also hilarious as Duke who always seems to hear every rumor.

Note: “Isle Of Dogs” is also available on the “The Wes Anderson Archive” box set.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.40:1 2160p In Dolby Vision HDR. How does it look? The new 4K digital master is mindblowing. The colors and the stop-motion animation are truly given new life with this transfer.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? This is a satisfactory 5.1 track that handles the music, dialogue, and sound effects exceedingly well.

Extras:

* Blu-ray copy
* A new commentary by Wes Anderson and Jeff Goldblum (on the 4K and Blu-ray).
* A mini-poster
* A booklet featuring credits and an essay by scholar/critic Moeko Fujii.
* “Isle Of Dogs” trailer
*Storyboard animatic for the film.
* “The Making Of Isle Of Dogs”- A 7 part extra featuring crew interviews, animation tests, VFX breakdowns, an F. Murray Abraham studio tour, cast voice recording footage, time-lapses of the animation process, and the stop-motion animated sushi creation.
* “The Visual Comedy of Isle Of Dogs”- A video essay by Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou.
* 7 featurettes on cast interviews, animators, puppets, dogs on set, Megasaki City and Trash Island, Weather and Elements, and Actors and Their Puppets. 

September 30, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Bryan Cranston, Criterion Collection, Dog Movie, Isle Of Dogs Criterion 4K UHD Review, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Stop-Motion Animation, Wes Anderson