Phil Roberts 
The Dog Stars is a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace for the director. With its impressive cinematography, endless desolation, and magnetic performances from Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it’s an impressive post-apocalyptic ride.
Whether you’ve been following his career for decades or are just discovering his filmography, there’s no denying the legacy of Ridley Scott. From reinventing science fiction horror with Alien to transporting audiences to a breathtaking future with Blade Runner, the visionary filmmaker has spent decades proving that he knows how to bring ambitious worlds to life. Now, after a brief stumble with Napoleon, Scott is back in familiar territory—and he’s brought another intriguing sci-fi adventure with him. Enter The Dog Stars, a post-apocalyptic thriller based on Peter Heller’s acclaimed best-selling novel.
The story is a humble exploration of humanity in a post-apocalyptic world, the perfect sandbox for Scott to flex his muscles. So, with Heller’s gripping source material, a stellar ensemble cast, and one of cinema’s most accomplished directors behind the camera, the ingredients certainly appear to be in place for another Scott classic. But can The Dog Stars reignite Scott’s sci-fi magic and return him to winning ways? Or is this another misfire from a filmmaker who has already given us some of the greatest genre movies ever made?
REVIEW
Fear not, dear readers, because Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace for the director. With its impressive cinematography, endless desolation, and magnetic performances from Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it’s an impressive post-apocalyptic ride. Aside from a few minor deviations from Peter Heller’s source material, Scott delivers the kind of immersive cinematic experience we’ve come to expect from him, while adding far more heart than I anticipated.
The film looks absolutely spectacular, with Erik Messerschmidt’s cinematography transforming the ravaged landscape into a hauntingly beautiful character of its own. Meanwhile, Harry Gregson-Williams provides an immersive score that perfectly complements the film’s lonely atmosphere and emotional weight. But what truly makes The Dog Stars soar is its exploration of human connection in a world where humanity has been pushed to the brink. It’s a surprisingly tender blockbuster that grabs you by the heart, settles into your soul, and refuses to let go.
RIDLEY SCOTT
From the start, Ridley Scott brings his seasoned brilliance to the project and offers an assured hand at the wheel. The director executes his vision with his trademark professionalism and creates a wonderfully grim post-apocalyptic world for us to explore. Scott has made a career out of crafting greatness from original source material. Hell, even the original Alien is a remake of the classic IT: The Terror From Beyond Space, and he has uncovered another gem here.
Peter Heller’s chilling post-apocalyptic world is brought to vivid life, with Scott turning the remnants of civilization into something both beautiful and deeply unsettling. There’s a familiar sense of isolation here that recalls Alien, where a small group of characters is surrounded by an overwhelming emptiness. Only this time, there’s no vastness of space to blame—the world itself has become the void.
The atmosphere also carries echoes of The Walking Dead, with humanity reduced to scattered pockets of survivors and danger potentially lurking around every corner. Scott plays with that uncertainty, letting the silence and desolation become characters in their own right. From the very first scene, there’s an unmistakable feeling that something terrible could be waiting just beyond the horizon, and that constant sense of unease makes The Dog Stars incredibly compelling.
THE END OF THE WORLD
For anyone keeping score, The Dog Stars is an intimate exploration of one man’s desperate search for hope in a world ravaged by a deadly new virus. Those who survived have either barricaded themselves inside fortified pockets of civilization or succumbed to a far more feral existence, becoming aggressive, territorial, and fiercely protective of what little they have left. On the surface, this is a classic survival story. But dig a little deeper and Scott’s film reveals something far more intimate: a moving exploration of human connection, grief, loneliness, and the desperate need to find something worth living for.
To bring that emotional core to life, Scott has assembled a terrific ensemble cast, and they elevate the material at every turn. Leading the charge is Jacob Elordi as Hig, a young pilot haunted by loss but unwilling to surrender his hope for a better life. Following his acclaimed performance in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Elordi has found himself with no shortage of intriguing roles, and Hig feels like another excellent choice.
ENIGMATIC ELORDI
Elordi carries much of the film on his shoulders, delivering a performance that is gritty, vulnerable, and wonderfully human. At times, The Dog Stars feels less like a traditional post-apocalyptic thriller and more like an intimate character study, and Elordi proves more than capable of carrying that emotional weight. We become invested in Hig almost immediately, rooting for his survival and desperately wanting him to find the human connection he craves.
And then there’s his unlikely companion, who threatens to steal the entire movie right from under him with a scene-stealing performance that is nothing short of phenomenal.
JOSH BROLIN
Ordinarily, the companion stealing my affection would be Hig’s adorable canine sidekick, Jasper. But while the four-legged star is certainly impossible to resist, nobody can deny the sheer charisma Josh Brolin brings to the film as Hig’s cantankerous survivalist companion, Bangley.
Brolin is absolutely magnificent here. His grizzled doomsday prepper is a wonderfully written character, benefiting enormously from the razor-sharp screenplay by Mark L. Smith. Bangley is responsible for many of the film’s funniest lines, providing much-needed levity amid the bleakness and desolation surrounding the characters. Every time Brolin appears on screen, the film gets a jolt of energy, and his comic timing is simply superb. But Bangley is far more than comic relief. Brolin gives him layers, revealing a man whose hardened exterior hides a complicated history and a genuine understanding of the brutal world they now inhabit. His no-nonsense approach provides the perfect counterbalance to Hig’s more optimistic outlook, creating a fascinating dynamic between two men who couldn’t be more different.
There’s something wonderfully watchable about Brolin’s performance. He commands the screen without ever overwhelming it, delivering his lines with a gruff charm that makes Bangley impossible to ignore. Honestly, I could watch him play this character for hours. It’s one of those performances where everything clicks, and I’d be amazed if audiences don’t walk away talking about Brolin long after the credits roll.
SUPPORTING CAST
Although Brolin and Elordi are exceptional, they aren’t the only performers bringing The Dog Stars to life. Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce are equally terrific as Cima and Pops, respectively, adding another fascinating layer to Scott’s intimate survival story.
Qualley, in particular, avoids the usual pitfalls of the post-apocalyptic love interest. Cima isn’t simply there to give Hig something to worry about or provide a romantic subplot; she becomes the emotional anchor of his journey. Her past mirrors his own, and when their paths eventually cross, there’s an immediate sense that these two wounded souls recognize something in one another. Their connection feels natural rather than forced, giving Hig something tangible to fight for beyond simply surviving another day.
That relationship becomes one of the film’s most compelling elements. In a world where human connection has become almost as scarce as food and ammunition, watching Hig and Cima find something worth holding onto gives the story its emotional heartbeat. Their bond feels authentic, and it’s difficult not to root for them as they navigate a world determined to tear them apart.
QUALLEY AND PEARCE
Yet even Qualley finds herself occasionally upstaged by Guy Pearce’s enigmatic turn as Pops. As Cima’s fiercely protective father, Pearce initially appears to have the thankless role of the grizzled gatekeeper standing between Hig and happiness. But, much like Brolin, he digs beneath the surface and finds considerably more depth than the character initially suggests.
The parallels between Hig and Bangley and Cima and Pops are particularly fascinating. Both relationships are built around unlikely partnerships, with older, hardened survivors balancing the optimism of younger characters who still believe there might be something better waiting beyond the horizon. Watching those dynamics develop gives the film an unexpected richness.
Pearce brings a wonderfully understated quality to Pops, making him instantly watchable even when the story takes a darker turn. He becomes another guiding presence within the narrative, adding warmth and humor when it’s needed most. And while Brolin may ultimately steal the show, Pearce is never far behind, delivering another terrific performance in a film packed with them.
SETTLING THE SCORE
A film of this scale deserves a soundtrack to match, and Harry Gregson-Williams rises to the occasion with a phenomenal score that becomes the emotional heartbeat of The Dog Stars. His use of gentle guitar motifs brings a delicate warmth to Scott’s otherwise bleak and battered world, offering fleeting moments of hope in a landscape where hope is often in desperately short supply. As a regular collaborator of Scott’s, Gregson-Williams clearly understands the atmosphere the director is trying to create, and their creative partnership once again proves to be a winning combination. The composer knows when to let the music soar and when to quietly retreat into the background, allowing the performances and desolate landscapes to do the heavy lifting.
Following his work on projects including Gladiator II, House of Gucci, and The Martian, Gregson-Williams has become an increasingly important part of Scott’s modern filmmaking legacy. His work here continues that impressive run, blending haunting, oppressive tones with softer passages that evoke innocence, warmth, and the possibility of something better.
It’s that balance that makes the score so effective. One moment, the music reminds us of the fragile beauty still surviving in this broken world; the next, it plunges us back into its darkness. It’s a difficult line to walk, but Gregson-Williams handles it with the confidence of a composer operating at the very top of his game.
Ultimately, The Dog Stars is another reminder of just how powerful a great score can be. Gregson-Williams doesn’t simply accompany Scott’s images—he gives them a soul. And that, for me, is the highest compliment I can pay.
DETRACTIONS
Sadly, The Dog Stars isn’t completely flawless. After all, even Ridley Scott can’t hit a home run every time, and while the film has plenty of strengths, it occasionally struggles to become the post-apocalyptic epic some audiences might be expecting. This isn’t a bloodthirsty extended episode of The Walking Dead, although there are several moments that earn the parallel. The film is more personal, centering on the human connection we all crave, especially in the darkest moments of our lives. Elements of the zombie-apocalypse narrative are at play, but they aren’t as predominant as one might expect.
As a result, the film never really reaches the heights of an instant classic. In truth, it never really becomes more than the sum of its parts, no matter how brilliant they are individually. The story offers nothing we haven’t seen before, with other iterations going into greater depth than the runtime allows. Sadly, this holds the film back from reaching the same heights as Scott’s previous works. It’s certainly a welcome change of pace for Scott, and there’s plenty to admire along the way, but it never quite reaches the dizzying heights of his finest work.
Don’t get me wrong, this is still a beautifully crafted and thoroughly watchable film. It’s worth your time, and there’s plenty here to sink your teeth into. But after spending so much time in the company of such a talented cast and filmmaker, I couldn’t shake the feeling that The Dog Stars had one more gear left to find. And sadly, it never quite gets there.
VERDICT
Overall, The Dog Stars is an expertly crafted and brilliantly performed post-apocalyptic drama that ultimately feels a little too restrained for its own good. With Ridley Scott’s assured direction, Erik Messerschmidt’s gorgeous cinematography, Harry Gregson-Williams’ emotionally charged score, and a story packed with heart, there’s plenty here to sink your teeth into. Yet despite all those impressive ingredients, the film never quite finds the extra gear needed to become something truly exceptional.
That said, Scott has delivered another beautifully constructed cinematic experience, anchored by a sensational ensemble cast. Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley bring plenty of emotional weight to the story, while Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce are simply magnificent. In fact, Brolin’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. Together, they give the film a beating heart that keeps you invested even when the narrative occasionally feels familiar.
The Dog Stars may not be the sprawling post-apocalyptic epic some audiences are expecting, but perhaps that’s the point. Beneath the bleak landscapes and survivalist thrills lies a deeply human story about grief, hope, companionship, and our innate need to connect with others. It may not reinvent the genre, but it delivers an emotionally resonant adventure that earns every minute of your time.
So, book a ticket, settle in, and prepare to explore Ridley Scott’s haunting vision of a world stripped of almost everything. Because even when civilization falls, and humanity is pushed to the brink, one thing remains true: we still need each other. And The Dog Stars reminds us exactly why.
The Dog Stars brings the post-apocalyptic world to cinemas on Friday.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
