A post-apocalyptic movie that feels a little boring? Of course it can happen, but it is not exactly something you expect. Especially when you consider that The Dog Stars is directed by Ridley Scott, the man behind movies such as Alien and Blade Runner. Add a cast that includes Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, and Josh Brolin, and expectations are bound to be fairly high. Unfortunately, The Dog Stars only partially manages to live up to those expectations.
An Interesting Post-Apocalyptic World
The Dog Stars takes place in a world that has been devastated by a deadly pandemic. Society as we know it no longer exists, and survival has become a daily struggle for those who remain. Hig (Jacob Elordi) lives with his dog and the hardened Bangley (Josh Brolin) in a remote location, where they try to stay out of the way of the dangers waiting beyond their safe haven.
When Hig picks up a mysterious radio signal, he finally has a reason to leave the safety of his home behind. What follows is a journey that is not only about survival, but also about whether there is still room for hope and humanity in this broken world.
On paper, that is a solid premise. And to be fair, the world of The Dog Stars is built up reasonably well. You get a good sense of how society has changed and why the characters have become so cautious and distrustful. The movie also takes its time to establish its post-apocalyptic setting.
The problem is that you rarely actually feel that world.
The Dog Stars Lacks Emotional Impact
That may be the biggest problem with the movie. In a post-apocalyptic story, you expect certain emotions. Loneliness. Fear. Desperation. But also hope, connection, and perhaps a longing for the life that once existed.
The Dog Stars certainly tries to explore some of these emotions, but they rarely come across effectively.
The characters have been through enough to be deeply traumatized, and some genuinely dramatic things happen throughout the movie. Yet the emotions often remain at a distance from the audience. Even moments that are clearly intended to hit hard rarely have the desired effect. Instead of feeling emotionally devastated, you are more likely to shrug your shoulders and move on.
That is a shame, because in a movie where so much of the world has disappeared, the characters should be what truly makes the difference.
A Strong Cast, with Josh Brolin as the Standout
The acting is certainly not the problem. Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, and Benedict Wong make up a strong cast. Everyone delivers what is expected of them, and nobody really feels out of place.
Still, there is one actor who clearly stands out: Josh Brolin.
As Bangley, Brolin gets to play a character who is wonderfully blunt, cynical, and, at the same time, genuinely interesting. He manages to give the character far more personality than the script sometimes provides. His presence regularly gives scenes a little extra energy.
And that is exactly why it is such a shame that Brolin ultimately remains in a supporting role. The Dog Stars could have benefited enormously from giving Bangley — and Brolin — a much larger role.
Not Enough Action, Not Enough Depth
It is also difficult to determine exactly who The Dog Stars is meant for.
Action fans will probably be disappointed. While there are moments of tension and violence, this is certainly not a full-blown action movie. The film simply spends too much time focusing on its characters and its world for that.
On the other hand, The Dog Stars also does not offer enough depth for viewers looking for a deeply philosophical or emotionally powerful post-apocalyptic drama. The themes are certainly there. Humanity, trust, loneliness, and the question of how you move forward when the world you once knew has disappeared.
The problem is that these themes are never explored in enough depth.
As a result, the movie ends up somewhere in between. It is not spectacular enough to work as an action-adventure, nor is it thought-provoking or emotionally powerful enough to work as a character-driven drama.
The Dog Stars Is Certainly Not a Bad Movie
And perhaps that is the most difficult conclusion to draw: The Dog Stars is certainly not a bad movie.
It looks good, the cast is strong, the post-apocalyptic setting is interesting, and Ridley Scott obviously still knows how to put a movie together visually. There are definitely some good moments, and the story contains enough interesting elements to make the runtime reasonably easy to sit through.
But there is also very little that truly makes an impression.
Where a good post-apocalyptic movie leaves you thinking about it long after the credits have rolled, The Dog Stars mainly leaves you with the feeling that it was a decent movie. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less either.
And perhaps that is ultimately the biggest problem: everything about The Dog Stars is adequate, but almost nothing about it is truly special.
Conclusion: A Decent but Unremarkable Movie
With Ridley Scott, a strong cast, and an interesting premise, The Dog Stars has all the ingredients to become something special. The movie also does a decent job of establishing its post-apocalyptic world.
But creating a world is one thing. Making the audience feel like they are actually part of that world is something else entirely. The emotions remain too much on the surface, dramatic events lack impact, and for both action fans and viewers looking for something with a little more depth, the movie simply does not offer enough.
Josh Brolin in particular brings some much-needed life to the movie, but it is a shame that his character does not have a larger role.
The Dog Stars is not a bad movie. It is simply a movie you will probably forget again fairly quickly.
Rating: 6/10
