‘Heart Of The Beast’ Review: Brad Pitt And A Soulful German Shepherd Struggle To Survive The Wilderness In An Emotional Journey That Will Have You Sobbing
Going to see Heart Of The Beast is a dangerous proposition if you don’t want to be seen crying uncontrollably in public. This man and his dog story is an emotional roller coaster that lays it all out there, and I lapped it up just like I did in My Dog Skip, Turner & Hooch, K9, Marley & Me, Old Yeller, and countless others. But there was something visceral about this one, a largely dialogue-less film where the story is told in the eyes of Brad Pitt playing opposite a loyal and tough German Shepherd named Odin. This is a story of a 30 year military veteran and the dog who stood with him in Iraq and Afghanistan only to finally find peace in the Alaskan wilderness until the unthinkable happens and it becomes an even greater tale of survival against all odds. It stays with you, won’t let go, and gives you new appreciation for those who serve, whether on two feet or four paws.
David Ayer who directed Pitt in the terrific 2014 tank movie, Fury, here gets perhaps the most moving performance the actor has ever given. He plays Sgt. Major James Belmont whose military service is behind him and has come to the peace and solitary serenity of the wilderness, flying his plane, his dog, aka Canine Commander Odin by his side. It is as if this pair simply survived hell on earth to one day find heaven together.
We see them all alone among nature’s wonders, until one day a stranger just appears out of nowhere. James hoists his gun but isn’t necessary. The man, Watkins (nicely played by J.K. Simmons) is a friendly guy just looking for a little company before rowing off on his boat down the river. It turns out to be a welcome interlude, brief but meaningful. He will be the only human being James and Odin encounter together on their journey. Both suffer from bouts with PTSD, and James comforts Odin after disturbing nightmares shake him. It gets real when James suffers a heart attack and the plane careens out of control, finally landing in the water and sinking. Odin is thrown out before that, and somehow James survives and struggles to go back frantically trying to find his dog. He does even as Odin shows little signs of life, but after a night willing him to live, Odin, who wears a prosthetic leg and has few teeth due to another cruel war injury, clearly has a knack to survive and the next morning he is miraculously back to his old self.
Using his expertise with a map and a compass, James and Odin set out to somehow find a semblance of civilization but the trip becomes one harrowing hazard after another including a frightening confrontation with a grizzly bear, a fight with a pack of wolves, James being swept away down the river, and more things most people could never live to tell. This is a pair that survived the worst of war (brief flashbacks briefly show that aspect of their past shared life) and now are unexpectedly in survival mode once again. His heart failing, James inherently knows his own days may be numbered, but he is going to make sure they find the road for reasons he doesn’t share with Odin, or Odie as he calls him.
Heart Of The Beast is one of those movies that, with great dignity and little fanfare, shows the true connection between man and animal just as countless movies have done since Rin Tin Tin starred in silent pictures. That Ayer, with a heart wrenching screenplay by first time writer Cameron Alexander, has found a way to make it all feel fresh is why this director should be applauded. The success of the film is also due in no small part to Pitt who makes us believe this animal is his soul brother, much more than just a pet, or even a partner in combat. Odin is all he has left and he will honor him no matter what it takes. No spoiler but Pitt will simply break your heart in doing just that. As for Odin, has any dog ever won an Oscar? Lassie, Benji, anyone? Well, it is high time. Odin delivers one of the best performances by an actor this year, hands down. Actually the truth is he is played by four canines, the main star being Uber, with strong support from his own sons, Ryker, Zika , and Hondo. Give much credit to their trainer, Andrew Simpson.
Other than Simmons and of course Pitt, the only other human on board is Anna Lambe as a woman driving her truck when in the distance she sees a dog sitting in the middle of the road. That is the opening image of the film, and then the story flashes back a week. I will leave it at that.
New Zealand stands in for Alaska, quite convincingly, with stunning cinematography and camerawork from Mauro Fiore. As pretty as the natural landscape all is to watch it is still the gut wrenching emotional reach of this simple story of humanity at its finest, loyalty and friendship at its most meaningful, and above all the heart of a ‘beast’ and the man standing at his side. There will not be a dry eye in the house. If this one doesn’t move you, there is no hope.
Producers are Pitt, Ayer, Olivia Hamilton and Marty Bowen. Damien Chazelle is among the Executive Producers.
Title: Heart Of The Beast
Distributor: Paramount
Release Date: September 25, 2026
Director: David Ayer
Screenplay: Cameron Alexander
Cast: Brad Pitt, J. K. Simmons, Anna Lambe, Odin.
Rating: PG 13
Running Time: 1 hour and 41 Minutes
