The Dog Stars Movie Review

Introduction (Warning Contains Spoilers)

I’ve been a big fan of Ridley Scott for a long time, and The Dog Stars was one of those movies that I was looking forward to seeing for quite some time.

Ridley Scott is one of the most distinctive visual directors of all time in my opinion. Unfortunately, in recent times, his movies haven’t quite been able to live up to his previous work.

And just knowing that was enough to make me excited about seeing The Dog Stars. The movie is one that seems to be right up Ridley Scott’s alley.

It includes science fiction, survival, isolation, stunning landscapes, and even questions about what makes us human.

This movie is based on the novel by Peter Heller from 2012. The film takes us into a devastated future.

Most of humanity has been wiped out by a devastating global flu pandemic. The movie is set in 2035, years after civilization has crumbled.

Hig, a civilian pilot and mechanic, played by Jacob Elordi, tries to survive.

Hig is living on an airstrip in Colorado with his German Shepherd named Jasper.

In addition to Jasper, he also lives on the airstrip along with Bangley (Josh Brolin), who is a former Marine and is heavily armed.

Life for both of them has now become routine due to the harsh realities of their situation. But all of this changes when Hig’s airplane detects a strange radio transmission.

The transmission indicates that there might be other survivors out there. Hig is determined to go check it out, which is way outside his comfort zone.

This movie is a tale of survival, grief, connections, and belonging. This is also a movie that questions whether moving on means leaving behind everything from the past.

These concepts provide a good emotional foundation to The Dog Stars. However, the movie sometimes fails to take these concepts forward effectively.

Ridley Scott’s Visual Direction

The most striking feature of The Dog Stars is certainly the film’s visual depiction of the story.

The film understands perfectly well how to put an audience into a world.

Scott Ridley is a master at creating believable worlds. Those worlds usually seem to be bigger than the characters inhabiting them.

This picture keeps on following the tradition of spectacular results. The choice to have the main character Hig fly around the country is especially effective.

In such a way, the film gives the audience a first-hand look at the world that has been abandoned. We are able to see how the world looks from the perspective of the protagonist.

Thus, we are not simply told about the collapse of civilization. We are shown the result of this collapse through the eyes of Hig.

The deserted landscape speaks about the effects of the pandemic without unnecessary explanations.

There is something symbolic in seeing the ruins of civilization from above.

The world looks incredibly big and at the same time almost empty. That contradiction sets the tone of the film right away.

Also, the opening sets up the emotional journey of Hig. The hero lives in an immense landscape.

At the same time, the hero feels almost alone in this world. Therefore, the plane becomes a symbol of freedom in the world where there is nothing else.

Each flight of Hig means temporary freedom from the isolation and loneliness. By flying in the sky, Hig manages to look past the airstrip and imagine something different in his life.

The opening sequence of the film gives an idea about what has happened to the world. There are roads and settlements left.

People are missing, but the nature continues to exist despite all the changes. That is why we can say that the film has one of the most interesting visual contrasts.

The world is ruined, but at the same time the landscape seems to be incredibly beautiful.

The Cinematography

Erik Messerschmidt‘s cinematography is a major reason the film works visually. The Italian Dolomites provide an extraordinary backdrop for this post-apocalyptic story.

The presence of such high mountains serves to accentuate the insignificance of Hig. This is especially true in light of the fact that isolation is an important element of the story.

Not only are they separated from the rest of civilization. They are also in an immense world around which it is easy to feel vulnerable.

The shots from above serve to give the film the sense of liberation.

While the shots from ground level do the opposite. Once Hig leaves the vast openness of the skies behind, things become a lot more confined.

Suddenly buildings, trees and other obstacles appear around him, forming the smaller visual space.

And thus creating the necessary tension without resorting to action. It also helps the film avoid showing a completely depressing world.

There are instances of beauty in this film. It creates an interesting emotional contradiction. Humanity has experienced an unthinkable loss but nature seems to flourish.

The world hasn’t turned into something unpleasant as people have disappeared from it. In many aspects it has become more beautiful.

And this idea makes the most beautiful shots melancholic. Cinematography also conveys the mental state of Hig.

Standing alone in front of the vast landscape accentuates the loneliness. It speaks of his mental condition.

The insignificance of one man once all familiar things have been lost. Scott knows how to make use of the landscape not as scenery.

A Story About Finding Your Place

For me, one of the strongest themes in The Dog Stars is finding your place. Hig survives the collapse of civilisation.

However, surviving does not mean that Hig knows how to live again. He has lost his wife, his previous life and almost everyone he once knew.

The airstrip provides safety, but it traps him. His routine protects him from danger. In other words, it prevents Hig from moving forward.

There is an impression that Hig feels guilty about continuing without all the people he has lost. Going forward may appear as leaving everything from his past behind.

Such a deep feeling adds much depth to the character. The mysterious radio transmission is much more than the possibility of being rescued.

In Hig’s case, the signal symbolises another life. It becomes a reason to stop dwelling on what happened to him.

Thus, it provides Hig with the chance of having his future full of meaning. Such a theme becomes extremely important in terms of the film.

Jasper plays a vital role in Hig’s emotional journey. The dog is Hig’s companion, but it represents much more than this.

The dog connects Hig with his past life and people he has lost. Thus, keeping Jasper near is the way of preserving something of the old world for him.

The fact of Hig being willing to move forward in the future becomes much more meaningful in such a way.

Moreover, the film depicts several different responses to the collapse of society. Thus, Hig still tries to find the connection with other humans.

Bangley is sure that surviving means being suspicious and violent. The other survivors managed to create their communities.

All those groups provide different answers to the same question.

How do you live when your world disappears? It is an interesting question, which is sometimes explored by the film.

Hig and Bangley

The Hig-Bangley relationship is an interesting one the movie. They have opposite views regarding survival.

Hig believes there might be good people out there. Bangley considers every outsider a possible threat. This is due to his past experience as an ex-soldier.

He knows about violence and death on a personal level. Therefore, his response to danger is quick and merciless.

Bangley’s philosophy is quite simple. If they see a threat to their lives, they should remove this threat immediately.

Hig does not always agree with this philosophy. This contradiction is one of the best character interactions in the movie.

Neither of them is absolutely right or wrong in this case. While Hig’s attitude towards the outsiders could endanger them both,

Bangley’s attitude could stop them from interacting with humans again. Their relationship symbolizes this conflict of ideas in the movie.

In order to survive, one needs to protect himself. In order to be humane, one needs to be trusting. The tension between those ideas gives their friendship genuine weight.

The Reapers and Other Survivors

Another source of frustration on my part is the Reapers. They are one of the most fascinating things about the film.

They add an entirely new level of excitement each time they appear. They are dangerous, unpredictable and highly memorable.

They also make the film a lot more exciting. The only thing is that there is not enough information given to us about them.

I wanted to learn more about them. I wanted to find out what happened to them. I wanted to discover how their group formed.

Most of all, I wanted to learn what they stood for. It would have been great to see how the Reapers would show the dark side of survival.

However, they usually do nothing but act threatening. That is why it is really a shame..The same happens with some other survivor groups.

There is so much that Hig sees and meets during his journey that is highly fascinating. The fact that such communities exist means that people have started rebuilding.

However, the film fails to give enough attention to those communities. I kept wondering about them.

How did they survive? How were they organised What were their rules? What was their vision of the future? Some great opportunities have been wasted.

The Pacing Problem

This takes me straight to what I found to be a major weakness of the movie. Unfortunately, I felt that the pacing of the film was an issue.

At just under two hours in length, the film has enough room to tell a story of this scale. However, the film’s first half certainly seems to go on much longer than expected.

A slow pace is not necessarily an issue. In fact, I am not averse to movies taking their time so long as there is a point to it.

The quieter moments involving Hig, Jasper and Bangley work well for establishing the characters and their situation.

My main problem is that the movie sometimes seems to be waiting to get started.

The film spends too much time creating an atmosphere rather than pushing forward in terms of plot.

There are parts where it feels as if the movie keeps going back to its routines without advancing the story enough.

This caused the first half of the film to feel quite slow at times. Strangely, however, the film becomes more interesting when the story starts to develop.

With the presence of the Reapers, the other communities of survivors and Cima, the story starts to become multi-directional.

All of a sudden, there are many different paths that the story could take.

The problem is that all of these elements are not fully fleshed out. It results in an odd balance.

While the first half of the movie may have needed to speed up, the second half needed more developing.

It means that my main issue is not only that the film is slow. It is mainly the way it spends its time. Some of the quieter material could have been tightened.

That would have created more space for the more interesting characters and communities.

The Performances

Another key strength of the movie is its casting. Once again Jacob Elordi impresses me with his acting.

Playing Hig, he endows the character with an understated emotional aspect. A lot of his acting is done through facial expression and mannerism.

Hig experiences immense grief, but he does not need to explain his emotions all the time. Those emotions are conveyed through little changes in his behavior.

This is a true emotional arc for the character. He starts off as a person whose life has been dictated by memories.

Little by little he starts considering another possible future. That change is quite convincing, thanks to Jacob Elordi.

It has been interesting to watch his career evolve. He continues to show that he can carry very different types of roles.

Josh Brolin does an equally good job portraying Bangley. He gives a physical intimidating aura to the character.

Bangley’s past in the military is apparent from the first time. It is evident that Bangley has seen some violence in his lifetime.

When it comes to threats, he has no second thoughts. Brolin keeps him away from being a mere stereotype of violence.

There is reasoning behind Bangley’s actions. He believes what he is doing is necessary for survival.

This adds some substance to the conflict between him and Hig.

Margaret Qualley gives a strong performance as Cima. I enjoyed the fact that Cima is not a generic love interest character.

She is confident, independent, and obviously experienced. Qualley manages to give her confidence but does not make her invincible.

Her on-screen chemistry with Elordi is convincing too.

Another excellent actor is Guy Pearce, who plays Pops. Pearce portrays Pops as an irritable, old-fashioned, and very suspicious rancher.

Pops is a staunch protector of his daughter. Pearce endows Pops with an appropriate hardness for the world around him.

Moreover, it is a relief to see some level of normalcy in such an extraordinary setting. In particular, I loved seeing how Pops softens up over time.

Pops’ barriers start to crumble as he starts feeling at ease with Hig.

There’s also Allison Janney. I would have liked to have seen more of her in the movie.

Janney plays Darlene, a former flight attendant, who is now religious and crazy. She adds an element of unpredictability to her role.

Her acting seems totally dedicated to the role. She overacts delightfully without losing any menace in the character.

With each of her appearances, the film gets more chaotic. She energizes the third act. The annoying thing is that we don’t see enough of her.

Darlene is just the sort of character who deserves a longer screen time. Janney makes you want to know more about her back story and motivation.

But instead we are treated to just one small appearance by her. This is one of the many instances when I wished for more in the screenplay.

What Worked and What Did Not

There is much to appreciate in The Dog Stars. The filmmaking is certainly commendable. Scott creates an immense, desolate and unique world.

Messerschmidt captures the landscapes in a truly spectacular manner. The opening scene serves as a fine example of visual storytelling.

The acting performances are also solid throughout. Elordi provides Hig with a convincing emotional arc. Brolin adds strength and menace to Bangley.

Qualley imbues Cima with more agency than a typical romantic interest. Pearce adds both humour and humanity to Pops.

Janney leaves a huge impression through her small role.

The thematic elements add even greater weight to the plot. Grief, isolation, survival and the ability to connect are all explored.

The central theme of finding your place in life is particularly well done. The inability of Hig to progress in his life is emotionally impactful.

However, the weaknesses of the movie cannot be ignored. The pacing is the main problem I have with the film.

The first half moves way too slowly for what comes later. The narrative takes too much time setting up its routine.

At the same time, some of the most interesting aspects of the story get shortchanged.

The Reapers are the best example of this.

While they had great potential as an examination of the human kind in a post-apocalyptic world, they are mostly left as mere threats.

Some of the other survivor communities are left the same way. The movie reveals a lot of interesting ideas but doesn’t explore them.

More attention should’ve been paid to Cima. Allison Janney definitely deserves more screen time.

This is especially disappointing as the film has such potential. The film has excellent ingredients. It simply fails to put them all together in the right way.

Final Verdict

The Dog Stars is an incredible visually rich and atmospheric post-apocalyptic film. It shows why Ridley Scott is one of the great visual directors in movies.

The cast is amazing, especially Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley. The cinematography is gorgeous and breath-taking in many moments.

Grief, connection, and finding your place provide enough substance to the story. Sadly, the pace of this movie is preventing it from being fully appreciated.

The first half goes too slow and second half is not developed properly. Reapers and survivor communities need a lot more screen time and exploration.

Allison Janney deserves much more screentime. I like The Dog Stars a little bit more than I liked it.

There are great performances and images that stuck with me. Scott made an interesting world to look at.

I just feel that the story could use some more care. If you enjoy films of Ridley Scott and sci-fi, there is a lot of good things in The Dog Stars.

The Dog Stars might not be the return to form I hoped for. It is, however, an ambitious and visually impressive film with a great emotional story.