Courtney Howard // Film Critic
HEART OF THE BEAST
Rated PG-13, 1 hour and 45 minutes
Directed by: David Ayer
Starring: Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Anna Lambe, Uber
The filmmakers behind HEART OF THE BEAST make important information abundantly clear very early on: the dog in this film lives. They don’t want their audience fretting for 95 or so minutes over the safety of their furry four-legged hero when they should be focused on the loving bond that pup shares with his equally heroic human handler. Director David Ayer and writer Cameron Alexander craft a harrowing, contemplative and heartrending adventure centered around themes of trust, loyalty, rescue and perseverance in the darkest times. And while the circumstances presented are indeed unflinchingly intense, they’re also rather hope-filled.
In one of the more clever uses of “in media res” in recent memory, our journey begins at the end as a local (Anna Lambe) out driving discovers a weary, worried Odin (played by dog-actor Uber) standing in the middle of the road on the outskirts of the Alaskan wilderness. The film then flashes back one week earlier when three-legged combat canine Odin and his owner, laconic loner Command Sergeant Major James Belmont (Brad Pitt), are reaching cruising altitude in a small prop plane, flying over gorgeous mountainous Alaskan vistas. They’re planning to spend a weekend alone commemorating their squad members who fell in the line of duty. Their boys’ weekend begins on a lovely note, as they chill under a sky of stars, drink Belgian beer and observe nature at its most serene. That is, until they face down a bear and Odin peacefully defuses the situation (in a less barky manner than Baxter in ANCHORMAN).
The pair also encounter experienced hiker Watkins (J.K. Simmons), a fellow adventurer whose journey allows James to dispense some necessary expository dialogue about his own back story as a former Special Forces officer. Both James and Odin suffer from PTSD, and are plagued by sepia-toned nightmares before waking up panicked. Their alone time helps them steady each other. Then more obstacles set in. A storm puts an abrupt end to their camping trip and, on the flight home, James experiences a heart attack, sending the plane careening into catastrophe. They both survive the crash, yet the threat of mini-strokes looms large and they’re 58 miles away from civilization. As they hike to the nearest town, their tenacity, instincts and specific skillsets are put to the test, as they face down bloodthirsty wolves, whitewater rapids and harsh landscapes.
While the specific difficulties the dynamic duo face might read like well-trodden territory, as in films like THE GREY and THE REVENANT, the way Ayer and Alexander utilize the dire situations propels the characters and resonant themes. They maximize tension, allowing the suspenseful scenarios to have the proper time to build up and play out, plus the space to regroup. James and Odin’s bridge crossing is palm-sweat inducing as James is tasked to cross it twice (a la SORCERER’s truck full of dynamite rickety bridge cross). The faceoff with the pack of wolves stalking them is equally gripping despite the wolves being unabashedly CGI-enhanced. There are still scares to be had during that vicious sequence.
Is it manipulative with its copious close-ups of James’ canine companion? Perhaps. But it’s also extremely effective, pulling on our heartstrings. Uber’s performance is extremely emotionally expressive, whether he’s staring into the dark recesses of the forestry or defending himself and his owner in a fight for their lives. Pitt’s pensive, tender and tough resolve augments his furry friend’s work, specifically in a scene showing them both comforting each other after panic attacks. Traumatic combat flashbacks are a tad janky-looking in their aesthetic appeal, but do stoke audience empathy and do a decent job subversively acting as an anti-war message. They don’t make their time in the service look at all glamorously glossy, nor something anyone should willingly sign up for. Their inclusion essentially asks, “Hey wanna watch your friends die, your K9 partner maimed and have a horrible case of lifelong PTSD?”
Tucked into the film’s margins is sentimental commentary on how dogs enhance people’s lives. They give us the courage and bravery to complete seemingly insurmountable challenges. The best scene in the entire film – one that had me sobbing – is when James and Odin witness the aurora borealis lights together during a quiet respite and James turns his head to watch his canine companion gazing at the sky awestruck wonderment. It’s an epically small moment that speaks profound volumes as to the unbreakable bond between humans and their dogs.
Grade: B+
HEART OF THE BEAST is in theaters on September 25.
