Ridley Scott’s latest, The Dog Stars, arrives in theaters on August 28 as a post-apocalyptic survival drama that leans heavily on atmosphere but stumbles in execution. Based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, the film follows Jacob Elordi’s Hig, a mechanic navigating a lawless Colorado with his dog Jasper, searching for supplies and a rumored last bastion of civilization in Grand Junction.
The movie’s first half unfolds as a deliberate, meandering journey through abandoned Denver and Rocky Mountain forests, prioritizing sweeping IMAX-friendly vistas over narrative momentum. Hig’s quiet existence with ex-Marine Bangley (Josh Brolin) contrasts with the feral looters they call Reapers, but the script—credited to Mark L. Smith—relies on stilted dialogue and thin world-building. Key questions about the virus’s origins and the Reapers’ motivations go unanswered, leaving gaps that undermine the story’s stakes.
Action finally arrives in the second half, including a stylized night-vision sequence from Brolin’s character, but the film’s emotional core remains elusive. Even Jasper the dog, a central figure, is kept at an arm’s length from genuine connection. A late twist introduces Allison Janney in a jarring cameo, but it does little to salvage the film’s overall detachment. The Dog Stars ends up feeling like a missed opportunity, despite its visual polish.
