Wes Anderson seems to be considered a divisive figure. Certainly, I can understand his high level of stylisation can be a turnoff to some, and he's arguably mostly written from a fairly middle-upper class Jewish perspective. And taking this to a near-futuristic story set largely in Japan with a cast mostly consisting of dogs is ... different yet familiar - particularly when a large chunk of his familiar supporting cast are back in voice over roles.
I do find there's heart and a bit of grittiness that breaks through the preciousness, though, in all of Anderson's work. And key to the grittiness here is probably Bryan Cranston's Chief, the dog with the least time for humans, the one whose involvement has to be hardest won. There's a rough exterior that is pasted over some very deep inner hurt, and it's his journey we're taking more than anybody else's. Stop-motion animation gives Anderson the precise control that his live-action films so often display accelerated to a highly detailed degree.
There has been criticism that Anderson is indulging in cultural appropriation ... but I must admit I like to see filmmakers tell stories on an international basis, and I don't like the idea that there should be artistic firewalls where they can't use other cultures. There's a large JApanese voice cast, and one of the four writers is a Japanese writer and designer (Kunichi Nomura). I don't find it particularly insulting to the Japanese culture. And I did love this film with its mix of pure Wes Anderson and a Japanese futurism. I hope others do as well.
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