THE DOG STARS

PREMISE

In a post-apocalyptic world, a virus wipes out humanity. Survivors face roaming scavengers called Reapers. Protagonist Hig, a pilot, survived the flu but lost his wife.

THE GOOD STUFF

JOSH BROLIN- Nobody really does old and grumpy quite like Josh Brolin. He’s been the old grumpy guy in films just about as long as Matt Damon has been the lost guy in films. Brolin’s grumpiness always comes with badassery, however, and that’s always entertaining to see. He is the most interesting character in this film, and he has the most badass action. The action, the wisecracking, the cragginess, and the general likability are all stuff that we’ve seen from him over the years. It’s right in his wheelhouse. And it’s always welcomed.

THE COMPOUND RAID SCENE- Somehow, in a film that is excessive in its use of long, drawn-out shots of beautiful-looking forests and lakes, the most impressive sequence is this action scene that takes place in darkness. A part of it is done in night vision goggles, a part of it is done using the glow of fire to light the scene, and there are a number of shots that are impressive. This is the most fun part of the film, and it comes at the end of the first act.

THE BAD STUFF

JACOB ELORDI- On one hand, it can be said that Elordi is doing what he can with what he has. This character that he is playing is much more of a meditative kind of person than the flashy, high-tempo roles that we are usually accustomed to seeing Elordi playing (SALTBURN, PRISCILLA, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, FRANKENSTEIN), and he’s not doing a bad job at it. It’s just not in his wheelhouse…and dare I say he’s miscast. There are surprisingly very few highlights from this performance throughout the film.

MARGARET QUALLEY- Back in October of 2024, I wrote this about Margaret Qualley in my review of THE SUBSTANCE:

“I know one of these days, she will get a chance to do something out of left field in a big studio movie. She’s done a couple of indies that show potential to branch out. She’s really good. And I understand the casting in this movie, especially of her to play this kind of a role; I’m just waiting for something different from her. Something new.”

Sadly, we have yet to get that big studio movie that allows her to do this. Everything in this quote still applies. This is largely due to the script not really giving anybody anything to do. I suppose it could be a running joke for me to see how many times I can copy and paste this quote every time she has her talents wasted in a major studio film. Hopefully it won’t happen again.

THE UGLY STUFF

THIS SCRIPT- The first act is very slow. The second act is almost glacial. Throughout both acts, the movie is hyping up a scene that will take place at the Grand Junction airport in Colorado. It is mentioned over and over and over again. Then when you get to this sequence, it’s underwhelming, to say the very least. Also, while it is underwhelming, you come to realize that what this sequence presents would have been a more interesting (if not entertaining) world to be immersed in than the hour or so of film that you’ve been watching, and that almost everything else that you have seen up until that point, and definitely everything else after, is just so bland.

Ridley Scott is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. In my opinion, he’s one of the 10 greatest directors who have ever lived. He has made monumental contributions to the art form, and at 89 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down. He’s a very admirable man….

That being said, after watching a film like this, I do have to wonder if he’s lost his fastball. As great as he has been, as important to the history of cinema as he currently is, the wild inconsistencies in his work over the past 10 to 15 years are very noticeable. Everything he’s done since THE MARTIAN in 2015 has been varying shades of gray. I can say that almost all the stuff that he’s made has been enjoyable, but none of them have been nearly as much of a grand slam as that film was. This film is not a home run. This film barely gets on base, as so many of his films recently have.

THE DOG STARS is in theaters now