[6]
In this old-fashioned survival story, a man and his dog try to survive the elements after their plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness. Directed by David Ayer (Fury) and starring Brad Pitt, I had high hopes for an exciting and emotional adventure film. It delivers in some aspects better than others.
Pitt and the dog, Odin, are both retired U.S. Army veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress. They head into the wilderness to find peace and tranquility. Most of their backstory comes to light when a mountain man of sorts (J.K. Simmons) happens across their path. Pitt’s character is reticent and withdrawn, but Simmons slowly gains his trust and gets him to answer a few questions during friendly campfire conversation. The next morning, Simmons departs and Pitt takes off on his plane with Odin. He suffers a heart attack while piloting, and the plane goes down, setting the survival story in motion.
Heart of the Beast succeeds in painting a compelling portrait of its central relationship. Pitt and Odin are incredibly loyal to one another and it’s easy to sympathize with characters trying to decompress from trauma. The beautiful location scenery (with New Zealand subbing for Alaska) is another highlight. But the action/adventure component of the film is somewhat lacking, with few memorable set-piece moments and a frequently lagging pace. The score by Jared Michael Fry is consistently calm and introspective, denying the film any assists with tension or suspense.
Mild Spoilers Ahead: I’m a sucker for animal movies and I liked this one overall, but it could be so much better than it is. The film’s biggest problem is it’s willfully sad script by Cameron Alexander. We know from the very first scene that Odin does not die — but that revelation doesn’t stop Heart of the Beast from being an abject tear-jerker. Pitt and Odin go through Hell over and over again, to the point where the film starts to feel like Gravity, a film I called ‘crisis porn’. After so much suffering, it’s cruel to deliver anything but a celebratory ending for its tortured heroes. Heart of the Beast has the potential to be an enormous crowd-pleaser with universal appeal, but alas — it goes another way.