I have seen my share of post-apocalyptic movies, and Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars does not bring anything new to the table. The movie features some moderately compelling characters, but it doesn’t do anything particularly exciting or dynamic with them. I have never read the novel by Peter Heller that inspired this adaptation. Still, I have seen so many other similar stories adapted for cinema with more creative ideas than those delivered by screenwriter Mark L. Smith and director Ridley Scott.
After a major pandemic changes our world as we know it, a pilot and mechanic named Hig (Jacob Elordi) survives and lives in a mostly secure compound with another older man named Bangley (Josh Brolin). This more jaded individual shoots first and asks questions later. Hig often spends his time remembering the normal times when he had a wife and family, and clings to these memories, as he longs for a semblance of normalcy. Hig spends much of his days flying beyond his compound and scavenging for food and supplies he and Bangley need to survive. At the same time, he picks up radio signals on his flights from another compound that he hopes is attempting to restore the civilization he once knew. Hig discovers that things aren’t what he hopes or desires, but manages to connect with a woman named Cima (Margaret Qualley) and her father Jack (Guy Pearse), who live somewhat similarly to him and Bangley.
The best thing about this film is the solid performance by Jacob Elordi. He is the heart of the story, and the only character that genuinely kept me invested. He is still attempting to cope with the untimely loss of his loved ones, and hungers for something that resembles a normal life. Elordi gives a decent performance, but like the rest of the movie, the writing and lack of character development fail to keep you invested to the end in any genuinely compelling way. Plenty of other post-apocalyptic stories and movies tackle the material in more exciting, riveting ways. Technically, the movie looks good, but it doesn’t deliver anything dynamic.
I have no major issues with the other actors, but the writing here is so weak and usually feels like a cheap imitation that I honestly cannot recommend it for theatrical viewing.