Hideo Kojima Says Brad Pitt’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ Left Him in Tears in a Glowing Review
Celebrity reactions to new movies come and go, but every so often a review lands from someone whose opinion instantly carries extra weight. When that person happens to be one of gaming’s most famous storytellers, people tend to pay attention.
Brad Pitt’s new survival drama has already been generating plenty of buzz since its theatrical debut this week, pairing the actor with director David Ayer for their first collaboration since ‘Fury.’ Reactions from ordinary moviegoers have been rolling in steadily, but one particular endorsement stood out from the crowd.
‘Metal Gear Solid’ creator Hideo Kojima shared his own emotional reaction to ‘Heart of the Beast‘ on X, describing it as a story about a veteran and a former military reconnaissance dog, both suffering from PTSD, trying to survive and find their way home through the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.
Watched David Ayer’s “Heart of the Beast.” A story about a veteran and a former military reconnaissance dog, both suffering from PTSD, trying to survive and make their way home. The beautiful but unforgiving Alaskan wilderness stands in their way. There’s very little dialogue,… pic.twitter.com/jQ6cA8PSi3
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 26, 2026
Kojima specifically praised how little dialogue the film relies on, noting that the bond between Pitt’s character and his dog still comes through with real emotional force. He admitted the film made him cry, adding that the reveal of the dog’s name, Odin, hits “like a body blow” by the film’s end.
He also joked that it was a shame no official program or pamphlet had been made for the film, a small aside that fit right alongside his larger praise for the movie’s craftsmanship.
Kojima’s reaction lines up closely with how the film has performed more broadly since its release. ‘Heart of the Beast’ currently holds an 87% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a stronger 94% verified audience score, with much of that acclaim centering specifically on the relationship between Pitt and his canine co-star.
That emotional core was always the intended heart of Ayer’s film. Pitt has spoken previously about how deeply Cameron Alexander’s screenplay affected him even before filming began, describing the experience of working alongside his four-legged scene partner in warm terms.
“We tried to make every day a play day for him,” Pitt said of Uber, one of the German Shepherds who portrayed Odin throughout the film, in comments reported by Variety. He added that the dog would often do things off-script that weren’t planned, moments whose genuine expressions still move him.
Pitt further described the experience of filming alongside the dog as something special, calling it “really kind of beautiful” to spend that much time with what he referred to as a beautiful beast. That sentiment tracks with how audiences have responded across social media as well, with numerous viewers echoing similar emotional reactions to the film’s ending.
The story follows a retired Special Forces soldier who survives a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness alongside his combat dog, both carrying scars from years of dangerous missions together. J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe round out the film’s principal cast, with several different dogs, including Uber, Seeka, Ryker, and Hondo, sharing duties to bring Odin to life on screen.
First trailer for David Ayer's ‘HEART OF THE BEAST’, starring Brad Pitt.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 11, 2026
The survival thriller follows a former soldier & his dog who battle for survival after a plane crash in the wilderness.
In theaters on September 25. pic.twitter.com/xTT9b9vFbN
For a project built almost entirely around a wordless emotional connection rather than dialogue-heavy drama, getting this kind of reaction from a creator as respected as Kojima carries real cultural weight. It’s the kind of endorsement that tends to travel fast, especially among audiences who trust his taste in storytelling across mediums.
Whether that kind of high-profile praise translates into sustained box office momentum remains to be seen, but the emotional consensus building around ‘Heart of the Beast’ suggests this is a film resonating well beyond its opening weekend numbers.
Did Heart of the Beast make you emotional like Hideo Kojima?
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