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Twelve years after tearing up World War II in Fury, Brad Pitt and director David Ayer have joined forces once again for Heart of the Beast – a gritty, stripped-back survival thriller that puts cinema’s last true movie star head-to-head with the wild.
A tight and often tense 100 mins, Heart of the Beast is closely based on the lean, efficient script by Cameron Alexander that featured on the 2017 Black List – the industry inventory of the year’s ‘most liked’ unproduced screenplays.
While not based on a true story, it carries that kind of vibe in detailing the feats of Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog Odin, who are forced to embark on a 58-mile trek through the brutal Alaskan wilderness. Thrust into a different kind of combat zone, they contend with the shared trauma of war as they make for the closest sign of civilisation.
Brad Pitt and His Real-Life Canine Co-Star
A story of unconditional love between a man and his dog, Heart of the Beast is essentially a two-hander between Pitt and Uber, the real former mountain rescue German Shepherd who plays Odin. Using a real dog as Pitt’s co-star makes all the difference emotionally. Other CGI animals do make necessary appearances, but keeping Odin flesh and blood was definitely the right move.
Uber takes the bulk of the acting credit, though there were actually three other German Shepherds who filled in for certain moments and scenes. Uber’s actual puppies even play Odin in flashbacks.
A kind of Hatchet for adults, Heart of the Beast doesn’t explore terrain that hasn’t already been covered in other survival thrillers, but benefits from its combat-dog focus, strong performances, and stunning cinematography – from Academy-Award winner Mauro Fiore – with New Zealand standing in for the rugged Alaskan geography.
An early fly fishing scene recalls Pitt’s A River Runs Through It, reminding us just how long one of our last great movie stars has been at the top of his game. As a grizzled Army Special Forces veteran, Pitt is the kind of everyman that’s easy to get behind, carrying himself with the weight of Belmont’s military experience. There’s also a brief but solid supporting turn from a nearly unrecognisable J. K. Simmons as a mountain man who warns Belmont of impending weather.
Though all the survival skills and military techniques are presented authentically, it’s puzzling why a highly specialised combat officer like Belmont would make such fatal misjudgements on his Alaskan excursion. Then there’s the medical condition that arises every time it’s most convenient for heightening the drama.
Heart of the Beast: The Verdict
By establishing a brief frame narrative with the opening scene – something that wasn’t in Alexander’s original script – Ayer completely dilutes much of the story’s suspense, presenting the ending before rewinding a week to tell the tale. Viewers would be forgiven for skipping the first five minutes altogether, and may actually come away better for it.
Country and Americana singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr performs the vibrant cover of ‘Stand By Me’, just one of the elements sure to tug at a man’s heartstrings. Fur dads be prepared to squeeze your best friends tight after this one.
Three Stars ★★★☆☆
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