A Post-Pandemic Landscape Defined by Familiar Tropes
Hig, portrayed by Jacob Elordi, stands as the central figure in Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Dog Stars. The premise follows a standard post-apocalyptic narrative where a massive influenza epidemic has wiped out the majority of the population. Denver serves as the backdrop, with the city’s basketball arena lights flickering over a landscape reclaimed by weeds and wolves. Hig, a former construction worker, lives in a makeshift airport 25 miles north of the city. He maintains a solitary existence, save for his German shepherd, Jasper.
The film leans heavily on established genre conventions. Hig spends his time scavenging for soda pop for a group of Mennonite children, a subplot that offers a glimpse into his character’s remaining kindness. He frequently dwells on the memory of his deceased wife, who appears in soft-focus flashbacks. The script, written by Mark L. Smith, attempts to create stakes by suggesting Hig might be suicidal, though the execution feels misaligned with his clear devotion to his dog.
Characters and Contradictions in the Wilderness
Hig shares his fortified compound with Bangley, played by Josh Brolin. Bangley embodies a hardened survivor archetype, obsessed with power, food, and weaponry. Their interactions provide the film’s oddest moments, such as when they play poker with $5,000 bills that serve as worthless currency. Brolin’s performance fluctuates between a cold-blooded killer and a source of unintended levity, keeping the tone off-balance throughout the second act.
Margaret Qualley enters the narrative as Cima, a widow living with her father, Pops, played by Guy Pearce. The romance between Hig and Cima remains incredibly tentative, hindered by the intense paranoia that permeates this version of humanity. They are constantly under the shadow of armed conflict, which limits their interactions to brief, heavy moments of intimacy. The film struggles to find a consistent pace, shifting between slow character studies and sudden, aggressive bursts of action.
Technical Execution and Structural Choices
Ridley Scott, at 88, shows a continued interest in the collapse of societal structures. The production design utilizes night-vision cinematography from Erik Messerschmidt, particularly during sequences involving a group of antagonists known as the Reapers. These sequences, while visually striking, raise questions regarding the film’s handling of its secondary characters. The antagonists appear as caricatures rather than individuals, and their lack of depth creates a noticeable gap in the story’s development.
Technical choices further complicate the viewer’s experience. Harry Gregson-Williams provides a score that telegraphs emotional beats well in advance, often undermining the subtlety of the performances. Even the setting feels nebulous, with the film failing to establish clear geographic stakes or a consistent timeline for the events following the pandemic. This makes the narrative feel more like a collection of scenes than a cohesive journey.
The Lingering Question of Purpose
Despite the film's flaws, it reflects Scott’s ongoing preoccupation with human resilience in the face of self-destruction. The adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel diverges significantly from the source material, opting for a louder and more action-oriented approach. This version of the story struggles to balance its quiet, poetic ambitions with the demands of a wide-release action movie. The pacing suffers as a result, feeling fragmented and at times aimless.
Yet, the final act includes brief moments that echo the director’s personal dedication to his craft. A scene involving a character picking up a guitar instead of a weapon provides a rare, poignant reminder of what remains worth saving in a ruined world. While The Dog Stars fails to reach the heights of Scott’s more successful efforts, it serves as a testament to an artist who refuses to stop experimenting. Audiences should manage expectations, as the film delivers more spectacle than emotional depth.