TL;DR – While there are times when you feel emotionally manipulated, I can’t deny that this film had a powerful effect on me, as each turn, setback, and revelation had me on the edge of my seat.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Heart of the Beast Review Introduction

The last couple of years have been an odd time for David Ayer and me. I loved his The Beekeeper, a film that improves with each rewatching, and yet I loathed A Working Man, a film which was not improved by a repeat viewing. This was such an odd juxtaposition that was playing in my head as I sat down to watch his latest entry. But thankfully, I think we spent more time in the former than the latter territory.  

So, to set the scene, James Belmont (Brad Pitt) is a now-retired Special Forces officer who lives a quiet life with his retired combat scout dog Odin (Uber). They both live with the scars of their former life, both external and internal. One weekend, Belmont flies the two of them up into the Alaskan wilderness to camp, fish, and enjoy nature away from other humans. Some unwanted surprise company aside, it was a great trip, until a storm blows in and they have to pack up early. But when tragedy strikes on the flight home, Belmont and Odin must hike over fifty miles through the unforgiving Alaskan countryside to make it to the nearest road, the only hope for rescue.

The Dog

Without a doubt, Uber is the star of the film, and the dog and the whole team that helped it to excel here should be congratulated. He must carry a lot of the emotional weight of the film on his four legs, and if they had not sold that bond and that technical ability, then this film would not work. You immediately connect with Odin, and that is paramount, because Belmont has to take steps that put his safety into question. You have to believe that was the right choice, and you do. The emotional content of the film lands because there is that connection, and you feel it is genuine.

The Production

In many respects, this is a very pared-back film; because of that, there is nowhere to hide. Thankfully, the Kiwi production teams stepped up to that challenge and nailed it. The first credit has to go to the location scouts, because they found the most beautiful parts of the country to situate this film in. Every scene in this film is gorgeous, and the terrain plays a big part in making this world feel stunning yet deadly. The costuming choices reinforce the film’s narrative and character choices, giving the visual cues that everyone has the expected competency in skills such as fire-making or emergency field medicine. On that front, I am not sure I want to congratulate the Foley team; however, this is the first film in a long time where I felt the entire audience grimace in unison in response to a crunch sound. 

The Story

There is not a lot of complexity to this film from a narrative perspective, as there is one singular drive: get to the road. Everything that happens in the film is in service to or in response to that goal. This exposes Heart of the Beast’s core strengths, and also its weaknesses. Because the narrative is so straightforward, and understandably so, it allows the emotional components of the film to be in the driving seat. Given this is a film founded on the bond between a handler and their dog, focusing on the emotional aspects is the right choice. However, as the journey continues and the story has to ratchet up the danger each time, you do start to feel manipulated into that emotional response in places, such as the undercooked flashbacks, and detached when it enters The Grey territory. While I can’t be specific because of spoilers, the ending also gets preachy in a way that feels disconnected from the events occurring. It does not derail the ending, but it does lessen the emotional impact.  

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Heart of the Beast? Yes, we would. There are a couple of moments that fall flat. However, the rest of the film captured me. The bond between a man and his companion rang true, and that emotional core is what helped the movie shine. It also led to me ugly crying in the cinema, but a good cry now and again is not necessarily a bad thing.

Have you watched Heart of the Beast? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Heart of the Beast, we would recommend Greenland to you because it has that same emotional drive behind it. What would you do for the ones you love?

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Heart of the Beast
Directed by – David Ayer
Written by – Cameron Alexander
Music by – Jared Michael Fry
Cinematography by – Mauro Fiore
Edited by – Dody Dorn
Production/Distribution Companies – Wild Chickens Productions, Temple Hill Entertainment, Kino World, & Paramount Pictures.
Starring – Brad Pitt, J. K. Simmons, Anna Lambe & Uber
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: PG; Germany: 12; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: 12A; United States: PG-13