Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars earns praise for its vistas but loses critics in the wasteland

Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars has divided early critics, who agree that its apocalyptic landscapes and aerial action are striking but question the film’s emotional and narrative force. Adapted from Peter Heller’s novel, the survival drama pairs Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin as uneasy allies confronting isolation, violence and the possibility of rebuilding a life.

Key takeaways

• Critics admire the film’s mountainous cinematography and Scott’s command of action.

• Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin and Margaret Qualley bring commitment to underwritten roles.

• The story’s familiar themes and abrupt tonal shifts weaken its impact.

• The film reaches for hope but remains too bleak and unfocused for some reviewers.

A beautiful but familiar apocalypse

The film follows Hig, an engineer living at a remote Colorado airfield with his dog, Jasper, and his heavily armed companion, Bangley. After a viral catastrophe depopulates much of America, Hig flies a small plane into Denver to find medicine, fuel and food while listening for a mysterious radio signal from Grand Junction.

Both reviews see clear visual appeal in this premise. Shot in Italy, the film uses the Dolomites as a severe substitute for the American West, with empty peaks and abandoned spaces reinforcing the characters’ psychological isolation. Aerial photography gives Hig’s flights a striking sense of freedom, while Scott’s action sequences retain the urgency expected from a filmmaker of his stature.

Strong images, thin world-building

The film establishes its ruined society through suggestive details: overturned cars, medical equipment and remnants of ordinary domestic life. Yet critics argue that it rarely develops the questions those images raise. The virus remains largely unexplained, as do the social structures that survived its spread.

That restraint could have created mystery, but the reviews suggest that The Dog Stars withholds information without replacing it with richer thematic or emotional material. Its post-apocalyptic setting consequently feels recognizable rather than fully imagined, drawing comparisons to stories such as I Am Legend, Mad Max and Fallout without developing a distinctive identity of its own.

Survival versus connection

At the center of the film is a conflict between Hig’s desire for community and Bangley’s defensive isolationism. Hig sees possibility in the nearby Mennonite settlement and follows the radio signal in search of something beyond survival. Bangley, meanwhile, treats outsiders as threats and places his faith in weapons, stockpiles and vigilance.

The film also introduces Cima, played by Margaret Qualley, after Hig reaches a ranch run by her guarded father, Pops. Their relationship offers a route toward renewal, but critics find the romance underdeveloped. Long stretches of grief and longing slow the film without giving the characters enough interior detail to make their connection fully persuasive.

A divided critical response

The performances are broadly viewed as a strength. Elordi brings earnestness to Hig, Qualley adds energy to Cima, Guy Pearce gives Pops depth and Brolin appears to relish Bangley’s more aggressive qualities. Still, the cast cannot consistently overcome a screenplay that shifts between survival thriller, romance and social commentary.

Reviewers also point to confusing threats, abrupt changes in tone and at least one conspicuous sequence that feels disconnected from the rest of the film. The result is an uneven experience: visually composed and occasionally forceful, but often too downbeat to sustain momentum.

The verdict for intentional viewers

For Era-zine readers interested in how culture reflects questions of community, fear and resilience, The Dog Stars offers material to consider even when its execution falters. Its central question—whether merely surviving is enough—aligns with the film’s most compelling ideas. Yet the critical consensus suggests that its atmosphere is more memorable than its answers.

The Dog Stars may appeal to viewers seeking contemplative, visually ambitious science fiction. Those expecting a tightly constructed thriller or a transformative character study may find the film’s bleakness and familiarity difficult to overlook.

Sources

• Boring vision of the future has no luster, Roger Ebert.

• The Dog Stars Review – 'Too downbeat to really stick', empireonline.com.