---
title: "Isle of Dogs: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/isle-of-dogs/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/isle-of-dogs"
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 22
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Isle of Dogs (2018): what the critics said

Critics' score 78 from 22 reviews: 20 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to Isle of Dogs, with praise concentrated on its stop-motion animation and meticulous production design. The expressive dogs, densely detailed rubbish-island setting and dry visual humour repeatedly stand out, while several reviews find real tenderness in the central boy-and-dog story. Anderson’s precise staging is widely seen as well suited to animation, and the film’s bleakness gives its canine adventure an edge beyond the expected charm.

Reservations centre on a crowded, sometimes meandering plot and the handling of Japanese culture and human characters. The Los Angeles Times admires the miniature craft but finds the cultural treatment troubling; other broadly favourable reviews also raise concerns. The spread is mostly positive, though the Evening Standard is a clear dissenter, finding that the elaborate story struggles to sustain attention or sympathy. Even among admirers, the emotional impact and the busier later passages attract less consistent praise than the animation.

## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2018. 

The critic praises the film's delightful detail, sympathy for its furry leads, and labor of love quality, highlighting a standout speech by Chief as perfectly written and staged.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-isle-dogs-wes-andersons-absurdist-canine-caper)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2018. 

Anderson delivers another distinctive, formally brilliant stop-motion film set in a dystopian future Japan, crammed with visual invention and hyper-intelligent gags. The critic singles out the expressive clarity of the dogs' movements and the bleak garbage-island landscape for particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/29/isle-of-dogs-review-wes-anderson-bryan-cranston-animation)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 February 2018. Festival review. 

The review finds Wes Anderson's stop-motion film a thoroughly captivating and wildly distinctive tale of a boy's quest to rescue his dog amid a canine quarantine scheme. It singles out the vibrantly inventive visuals, meticulous production design, and chapter-structured narrative for particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/isle-of-dogs-berlin-2018-1085094/)

## Vulture

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 March 2018. 

The review calls the film sui generis and the most lyrically disjunctive movie ever made, one that harmonizes its disparate elements into a magical whole. It singles out the breathtaking stop-motion mise-en-scène and visual perfection for praise while noting the witty screenplay.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/isle-of-dogs-review.html)

## Empire — Nick de Semlyen

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 23 February 2018. 

Anderson makes amends for past on-screen dog deaths with a joyous, visually splendid and entrancing stop-motion film full of whimsy, pathos and inventive details, though the charm falters slightly in the third act with some freneticism and uneven voice cast impact.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/isle-dogs-review/)

## Film Comment — Jonathan Romney

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2018. 

The critic praises the film's visual richness, inventive mix of animation styles, and witty execution while acknowledging debates over its portrayal of Japanese culture.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-week-isle-dogs/)

## Radio Times — Andrew Collins

Rating ★★★★. 6 March 2018. 

Praises it as wholly, idiosyncratically unique, a technical and artistic marvel with affectionate homages, though notes potential issues with cultural aspects and themes.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/isle-of-dogs-review-wholly-idiosyncratically-unique/)

## The i Paper — Matthew Turner

Rating ★★★★. 22 February 2018. 

A captivating return to stop-motion with a bleak yet inventive dystopian Japan tale full of astounding detail, strong emotion, laugh-out-loud gags and immersive production design; original, topical and a tasty treat for fans.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/isle-of-dogs-review-wes-anderson-128765)

## The Telegraph

Rating 4/5. 29 March 2018. 

Anderson upends expectations of a cute canine tale with a weird, dark vision of survival on a trash island that includes graphic details like a kidney transplant. The critic praises the remarkable beauty and sober delight in the creatures' struggle while noting it exits Anderson's usual comfort zone.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/isle-dogs-review-looking-cute-cuddly-wes-anderson-barking-wrong/)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 March 2018. 

The critic finds the stop-motion animation a perfect fit for Anderson's precise style and praises the tiny details and world-building, but notes the plot's density and questions the inclusion of a Western savior character.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/26/tomb-raider-and-isle-of-dogs-reviewed)

## The Times

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2018. 

Anderson's stop-motion animation delivers talking dogs and cute scenarios but is also bleak and unsettling, with a tone of existential despair created through painful silences and bursts of savagery. The critic notes the wry humour and droll gags but emphasizes that the film ultimately bites with its dark heart.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/film-review-isle-of-dogs-7szmgk77t)

## Variety — Guy Lodge

Rating Critic's Pick. 15 February 2018. Festival review. 

The critic praises the richly imagined, drily witty canine adventure and its world-building, highlighting the tactile animation of the dogs and Anderson's Japanophilia, while noting some narrative meandering.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/isle-of-dogs-review-1202700010/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 21 March 2018. 

The review calls the film a triumph of invention and micro-detail in its stop-motion craft and dog characters, while criticizing the handling of Japanese human characters and cultural sensitivity issues.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-isle-of-dogs-review-20180321-story.html)

## Evening Standard — Rick Roddick

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 February 2018. Festival review. 

The film struggles to maintain sympathy or hold attention with its stop-motion dogs and meandering plot through Anderson's imagination; while there are some lovely touches like the barking language conceit and detailed world, the story is too complex for kids and delivers more bark than bite.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/berlin-film-festival-2018-isle-of-dogs-review-all-bark-and-no-bite-a3768316.html)

## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn

Rating ★★★★★. 16 February 2018. Festival review. 

The critic highlights the gorgeous stop-motion trash-island setting, rambunctious storytelling, and Anderson's growing political edge, calling it his most wildly imaginative work.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/isle-of-dogs)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 March 2018. 

The review calls it a charming, bizarre, and weird stop-motion film with a dense and complex storyline. It praises the first-rate production design, tech credits, and Alexandre Desplat's Asian-flavored score, describing the whole as more fun than you can imagine.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2018/03/isle-of-dogs-review-wes-anderson-animation-video-1202349805/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B+. 22 March 2018. 

The critic finds it another winner from Anderson, praising the dog-and-boy story and political elements though not as stirring as some previous films.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/isle-of-dogs-review/)

## The Playlist — Jessica Kiang

Rating B+. 15 February 2018. Festival review. 

The film is a visually dazzling stop-motion miracle with expressive puppets, charming imagery, puns and a potent political undercurrent. The narrative can feel messy and undisciplined, but the joyous commitment to Japanese aesthetics is self-justifying.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/isle-of-dogs-review-20180215/)

## HeyUGuys — Scott Davis

Rating 4/5. 29 March 2018. 

The stop-motion design and visuals are immaculate and sumptuous throughout. The story mixes humor, warmth and seriousness effectively, bolstered by outstanding vocal performances, especially from Bryan Cranston.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/isle-of-dogs-review/)

## The Ringer — K. Austin Collins

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 March 2018. 

Praises the tactile stop-motion animation and central boy-and-dogs story while noting cultural crosscurrents and bittersweet tone.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/03/22/movies/isle-of-dogs-film-review-wes-anderson)

## Den of Geek — Mark Harrison

Rating 4 out of 5. 29 March 2018. 

The critic calls it a bewitchingly weird and imaginative animated drama with striking design and underlying sincerity, landing between Kurosawa and a boys' adventure.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/isle-of-dogs-review-2/)

## The Wrap — Robert Abele

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 March 2018. 

The critic finds the film a mostly enjoyable but overstuffed adventure with stunning visuals and political undertones. It praises the meticulous design, witty elements, and narrative layering while noting concerns about cultural appropriation and the lack of subtitles for Japanese characters.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/isle-of-dogs-film-review-wes-anderson-bryan-cranston/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/isle-of-dogs.md