Ridley Scott’s ‘The Dog Stars’ First Reactions Call It One of the Year’s Biggest Surprises
Ridley Scott has spent decades building a filmography defined by scale, spectacle and sweeping genre ambition, from the icy terror of ‘Alien’ to the sprawling battlefields of ‘Gladiator.’ At 88 years old, the director shows no signs of slowing down, and his latest project once again finds him venturing into unfamiliar territory.
That project is ‘The Dog Stars,’ an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 post-apocalyptic novel following Hig, a civilian pilot navigating a world devastated by a deadly pandemic. Early buzz around the film had been relatively quiet compared to Scott’s usual output, but that’s beginning to change now that audiences have actually seen it.
Following the film’s world premiere at London’s Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 20, the first wave of reactions has arrived, and critics and viewers alike are calling it one of the year’s biggest surprises. Rather than delivering a generic, action-heavy dystopian nightmare, Scott has crafted something considerably quieter, more emotional and more contemplative than expected, while still finding room for sudden bursts of intense violence.
Phil Roberts, editor of Future of the Force, captured that sentiment directly, describing the film as “a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace” for the director. He praised its cinematography, its sense of desolation and what he called magnetic performances from stars Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin.
Other early viewers leaned into comparisons that place the film somewhere between genre tribute and something entirely its own. Podcast host Patrick Tomasso described the movie as “soothing and grueling,” calling it a Western set at the end of the world, complete with acoustic guitars, campfire scenes and what he described as intense ‘Fury Road’ energy woven throughout.
That blend of quiet tension and sudden ferocity has become something of a throughline in the early reactions. Multiple viewers pointed to the film’s unexpected restraint, noting that it prioritizes atmosphere and human connection over the kind of large-scale spectacle audiences might expect from a director best known for genre-defining action.
Film Hounds’ Gavin Spoors echoed that reaction, suggesting Scott “has proven yet again that his finger is on the pulse when it comes to current themes,” describing the film as a warm, human meditation on the need for community amid collapse. Not every response has been entirely glowing, though. UK journalist Tom Davidson admitted he went in with low expectations, ultimately finding the film better than anticipated, even while noting that Scott felt “largely on autopilot” in certain stretches.
The story centers on Hig, played by Elordi, who has carved out a fragile but functional existence alongside Bangley, a hardened survivalist played by Brolin. When Hig receives a mysterious radio transmission, he sets out into the unknown in search of whatever humanity might still remain in the world.
The chemistry between Elordi and Brolin has emerged as one of the most consistently praised elements across early reactions, with the pair’s dynamic anchoring much of the film’s emotional weight. Rounding out the ensemble are Margaret Qualley as Cima, a young medic and Hig’s love interest, alongside Allison Janney, Benedict Wong and Guy Pearce as Cima’s father.
Perhaps unexpectedly, one of the film’s biggest breakout stars isn’t human at all. Rak Jasper, the canine actor playing Hig’s loyal dog Jasper, has drawn considerable attention in early reactions, with multiple reviewers specifically calling out the “wonderful dog” as a scene-stealing presence throughout the film.
Behind the scenes, the road to production wasn’t entirely smooth. Elordi wasn’t originally cast in the lead role, which had first belonged to Paul Mescal before scheduling conflicts opened the door for Scott to bring in an actor he’d had his eye on for some time. Brolin has also spoken about how unsettling he initially found Scott’s minimal-rehearsal approach on set, admitting it left him rattled before production eventually found its footing.
With ‘The Dog Stars’ set for a UK release on August 26 ahead of its U.S. theatrical and IMAX debut on August 28, audiences will soon get the chance to see whether the film lives up to the wave of early praise. For a director still actively reshaping genre expectations well into his eighties, the response so far suggests Scott may have delivered another unexpected creative left turn.
Are you excited to see Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars?
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