Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce star in Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic adventure.
Spoiler! The dog dies.
True, the dog is not a major character. His death, though, spurs the protagonist, Hig (Jacob Elordi), to leave behind the post-apocalyptic haven in rural Colorado that he has built with his friend Bangley (Josh Brolin), in search of something else.
Still mourning the death of his pregnant wife, Hig openly mopes as he goes through the motions of supporting Bangley and their two-man community. A trained mechanic, and also a pilot, he flies his single-engine plane into nearby, completely ruined, and apparently uninhabited Denver to gather supplies that he has scrounged from the city, after a plague and ensuing battles has wiped out most of humanity.
He visits his former home, where he day dreams about his dead wife, and keeps trying to establish radio communications with Grand Junction, some 200 miles away, where he imagines that a larger refuge might exist. That failing, he dreams of revisiting Telluride, where he vacationed in his younger years with his wife.
Bangley misses no one, apparently. He regularly kills intruders on “their” property without any hesitation, then burns the bodies, then returns to smoke another cigar, have another alcoholic drink, and make more bullets.
Hig and Bangley have a pretty cushy life, all things considered, with food, water, power, and weapons. It’s not enough for Hig, though, and after one more conflict with invaders that leaves his beloved canine companion dead, he sets off in search of his dreams.
Bangley scoffs as he leaves. He is a survivalist, after all, and questions Hig’s ability to survive on his own. Just to be uncommonly kind, he gives Hig a parting gift.
Everything about the first act of the film feels entirely familiar, to the point that I wondered why Ridley Scott wanted to direct with his usual sweeping elegance. The balance of the film reveals why, but no further spoilers, though it’s also at this point that The Dog Stars descends into utter lunacy, filled with unexplained hordes of attackers, a refuge that is not what it seems to be, and a conclusion that feels entirely inauthentic.
Beautifully photographed by Erik Messerschmidt (Ferrari and The Killer, both 2023, among other credits) against the backdrop of gorgeous locations in Italy, standing in for Colorado. The production design by Chris Seagers is impressive, along with the visual effects work that seamlessly blends images of post-apocalyptic Denver into rural Italy.
Even though the story takes several eye-rolling turns, the performances are all quite good, led by Elordi and Brolin, who establish a charming ‘bro’ relationship in the first act, followed by the charming relationship that develops between Elordi and a father (Guy Pearce) and daughter (Margaret Qualley) who he meets on his journey westward.
Further spoilers ahoy!
It’s the narrative itself that proves to be balderdash. Adapted by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) from the first novel by writer Peter Heller, first published in 2012, the film changes several things …
As I noted, spoilers … continue at your own risk:
… including the death of Hig’s dog, who died peacefully in his sleep in the book, but dies defending Hig and Bangley here.
The “unexplained hordes of attackers,” referenced above, are a much smaller group in the novel; in the film, they are more like a small army. The Grand Junction airport sequence is greatly expanded from the novel, in a ludicrous manner.
The film screened in advance for the press at AMC’s Northpark, in an IMAX theater, and it looked and sounded spectacular. So, there’s that. I was never bored watching the movie, and, when all is said and done, it feels very much like a Ridley Scott epic.
The narrative is far too familiar, though, and all the attempts to jazz it up for the big screen were ill-advised. As much as I enjoy post-apocalyptic films in general, The Dog Stars left me wishing it was better.
The film opens Friday, August 28, throughout Dallas and Fort Worth, via 20th Century Studios. Visit the official site for more information.
Dallas Film Now. 
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